


C^ ^^^^ 



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_ \;r] j^ INSTRUCTIONS 

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FROM THE 



REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY, 



SEVERAL ACADEMIES SUBJECT TO THEIR VISITATION, 



PRESCRIBING THE REQUISITES AND FORMS 



ACADEMIC REPORTS, &c. 



REVISED EDITION. 



Prepared in obedience to an order of the Regents^ passed May IS, 1S41. 



ALBANY : 

PRINTED BY THURLOW WEED, PRINTER TO THE STATE. 

1841. 





^^/^i^7^^^^/^i^^ 



INSTRUCTIONS j'// . 

REGENTS OP THE UNIVERSITY, 



SEVERAL ACADEMIES SUBJECT TO THEIR VISITATION, 



PRESCRIBING THE REQUISITES AND FORMS 



ACADEMIC REPORTS, &c. 



REVISED EDITION. 



Prepared in obedience to an order of tlie Begeute, passed May 1§, 1841* 



jVt-. 



ALBANY : 

PRINTED BY THURLOW WEED, PRINTER TO THE STATE, 

184L 



>« 






V . » V 






(^nf^'* 



At a meeting of the Regents of the University, held May 18, 1841, it was 

Resolved, That a new edition of the Instructions be printed for the use of Acade- 
mies, under the direction of the Secretary, containing, in addition to the matters 
embraced in the present edition, the instructions of the Superintendent of Common 
Schools relative to Departments for the Education of Common School Teachers. 

(A Copy.) 

T. ROMEYN BECK, 

Secretary. 



>■ 



MEBIORANDUM. 



The present edition of the " Instructions," is arranged with a view- 
to the greater convenience of the trustees and teachers of academies, 
but will be found almost identical with those formerly issued, except so 
far as new directions may have been given. 

Two copies will be sent to every academy subject to the visitation of 
the Regents ; one for the use of its principal and other teachers and to 
be preserved in its library, and the other for the use of its trustees in 
making out their annual report, and to be kept by their secretary or 
treasurer, having charge of their books and papers. 

It is hardly necessary to add that academies failing to report in con- 
formity to these instructions, will be liable to forfeit their share of the 
public moneys for the year in which such failure occurs. 

Albany, September, 1841. 



CONTENTS. 



1. Of the Incorporation of Academies, 7 

Laws of the State, , 8 

A. Form of the first application for an incorporation of an academy by the 

Regents, 9 

B. Form of the first application of an academy already incorporated to be- 

come subject to the visitation of the Regents, 12 

Notes, explanatory, . 13 

Charter of an Academy incorporated by the Regents, 14 

2. Of the Annual Reports of Academies, 16 

Laws of the State, 16 

Ordinances of the Regents, 17 

Form of Annual Reports of Academies, . ...... 24 

Notes, explanatory, 31 

Teachers' part of the Report, 34 

3. Meteorological Reports, 43 

Instructions of the Regents, 43 

Notes, 53 

4. Variation of the Magnetic Needle, .... . 55 

Instructions of the Regents, 55 

5. Distribution of the Literature Fund, . 59 

Form for obtaining the money allotted to each academy, .. . 59 

6. Applications for money to buy Books and Apparatus, . ........ 60 

Laws of the State, 60 

Ordinances of the Regents, 60 

Form of an Application and S chedule, ... 62 

Additional Ordinances and Resolutions of the Regents, ....... 62 

Form of a draft to obtain the money granted, 63 

Notes, 64 

Recommendations of Books and Apparatus to be purchased, 64 

7. Delegation of the powers of Trustees of Acadamies, 77 

8. Incorporation of Colleges, 80 

Ordinance of the Regents, . 80 

9. Incorporation of Select Schools, . ... .. 81 

Laws of the State, ................ 81 

Ordinance of the Regents, 81 

10. Departments in Academies for the education of Common School Teachers, .. 82 

Instructions of the Superintendent of Common Schools to such Academies, 82 

Fonn of their Annual Reports, 92 

List of Academies in which Common School Departments are maintained, 93 

APPENDIX. 

1 . Observations on various branches of education in Academies, 95 

2. Catalogue of the Regents of the Univei-sity and their ofiicers, since its incorporation, . . 105 



INSTRUCTIONS, &c. 



I. Of the Incorporation of Academies. 
LAWS OF THE STATE. 

[Revised Statutes, Part 1, Chap. 15, Title 1, Article 3, ^ 3S, 39, 40.] 

§ 38. The founders and benefactors of any academy, or as many of 
them as shall have contributed more than one-half in value of the pro- 
perly collected for the use thereof, may make to the Regents an appli- 
cation in w^riting, under their hands, requesting that such academy may 
be incorporated, nominating the first trustees, and specifying the name 
by which the corporation is to be called. 

^ 39. In case the Regents shall approve thereof, they shall, by an 
instrument under their common seal, declare their approbation of the 
incorporation of the trustees of such academy, by the name specified 
in such application, and the request and instrument of approbation shall 
be recorded in the office of the Secretary of State. 

§ 40, Immediately after recording the same, the property and funds 
of such academy shall be vested in the trustees so nominated, for the 
use and benefit of said academy. 

Extract from an act to appropriate the income of the United States 
Deposite Fund to the purposes of education and the diffusion of 
knoioledge, passed April 17 th, 1838. 

§ 8. The sum of twenty-eight thousand dollars, of the income afore- 
said, shall be annually paid over, on and after the first day of January 
next, to the literature fund ; which, together with the sum of twelve 
thousand dollars of the present literature fund, shall be annually distri- 
buted among the academies in the several senatorial districts by the 
Regents of the University, in the manner now provided by law : but 
no academy shall hereafter be allowed to participate in the annual dis- 
tribution of the literature fund, until the Regents of the University 
shall be satisfied that a proper building has been erected and finished 
to furnish suitable and. necessary accommodation for such school, and 
that such academy is furnished with a suitable library and philosophi- 
cal apparatus, and that a proper preceptor has been and is employed 
for the instruction of the pupils at such academy : And further, that 



8 

the Regents shall, on being satisfied that such building, library and 
apparatus are sufficient for the purpose intended, and that the whole is 
of the value at least of twenty-five hundred dollars, peniiil such aca- 
demy or school to place itself under the visitation of the Regents, and 
thereafter to share in the distribution of the moneys above mentioned, or 
any other of the literature fund, in the manner now provided by law. 
The Regents of the University may also admit to such distribution, and 
to any other of the literature fund, any incorporated school, or school 
founded and governed by any literary corporation other than theological 
or medical, in which the usual academic studies are pursued, and wiiich 
shall have been in like manner subjected to their visitation, and would 
in all other respects.were it incorporated as an academy, be entitled 
to such distribution. 

NOTES. 

The following is a copy of a Resolution of the Regents of the Uni- 
versity, relative to the Incorporation of Academies, <j-c. originally 
adopted in 1 SO 1 . 

Resolved, That in future no academy ought to be incorporated, un- 
less it shall be made to appear by satisfactory evidence to this board, 
that a proper building for the purpose hath been erected, and tinisiied 
and paid for ; and that funds have been obtained and well secured, pro- 
ducing an annual nett income of at least $100, (increased in 1815 to 
$250;) and further, that there be a condition in the charter of incor- 
poration, that the principal or estate producing said income, shall never 
be diminished or appropriated, and that the said income shall be applied 
only to the maintenance or salaries of the professors or tutors of the 
academy. 

The act of the Legislature of the 17th April, 1838, herewith pu- 
blished, having provided that every academy owning property to the 
value of $2,500, invested in an academy building, library and appara- 
tus, might subject itself to the visitation of the Regents, and become 
entitled to participate in the distribution of the Literature Fund, on the 
Regents being satisfied that such property is of the required value of 
$2,500 — an ordinance was thereupon passed (see section 6th of the 
ordinance of the 25th April, 1838, herewith published,) providing that 
all ordinances heretofore adopted by the Regents on the subject of tlie 
incorporation of academies, be so modified in respect to the kind and 
value of property required to be possessed by the applicants for such 
incorporation, as to conform, in that respect, to the requirements of the 
statute above referred to. All future applicants to the Regents of the 
University for the incorporation of academies, loill therefore be required 
to shew property, in buildings, library and apparatus, to the value of 
$2,500, without regard to other kinds of property, or to its annual re- 
venue. 



Form of the first applicatmi or report of an Academy, either asking 
for an incorporation hy the Regents of the University, or applying 
to beco??ie subject to their visitation. 

A. 

Licorporation of an Academy by the Regents. 
The application in this case should be as follows : 

To the Regents of the University of the State of Neiv- York. 

The application of the subscribers, inhabitants of &c. respect- 

fully represents, That being desirous to found an academy at 
&c, they have, for that purpose, (together with others, if the fact be 
so,) procin-ed a suitable lot, erected a suitable building thereon, and sup- 
plied it with a suitable library and apparatus, for the accommodation of 
such academy, as will appear by the following description : 

1 . Ground for Academy Buildings. 

The lot of ground on which the buildings of said academy stand, or 
which is to be used for its accommodation, consists of [here state the 
quantity, either in acres or parts of acres, or the number of feet in 
breadth and depth.] The lot of ground was purchased in the year 

, for $ ; or it was given to the academy in the year 
[as the case may be.] There were then no improvements on it, [or if 
there were any, describe them;] state the title to the ground, whether 
in perpetuity or for a term of years, and if it be subject to a ground 
rent, state amount, &c. Give a general description of all improve- 
ments, (except buildings,) made on it. After giving all such and simi- 
lar data on which estimates of value depend, state the present value of 
the ground, including fences, ornamental trees, and all other improve- 
ments, except buildings. 

2. Academy Buildings. 

The buildings erected on the ground above described, and to be used 
for the accommodation of the academy, consist of [here describe the 
principal buildings, with their dimensions ; state when and of what ma- 
terials they were originally built, or have been since enlarged or im- 
proved ; give a general description of their internal divisions, style of 
work, fitness or convenience for use, &c. with a statement of the origi- 
nal or first cost of the buildings, and of all additions or improvements 
thereto, so far as the same can be ascertained. Then state their pre- 
sent condition as to their being in or out of repair, and if out of repair, 
what will be the probable cost of putting them in good repair. After 
giving all such and similar data on which estimates of value depend, 
stale the present actual value of such buildings.] 

2 



10 



3. Academy Library. 

The following is a catalogue of all the books belonging to said pro- 
posed academy, with the original or first cost, (so far as it can be as- 
certained,) and the present value of each book, [proceed with the cata- 
logue in the following form.] 



Title or name of books arranged according to 
catalogue, if any, in use. 


Number of vo- 
lumes. 


Original cost. 


Present value. 










[Give the total of each column.] 









Give a general description of the condition of the books in the library 
in respect to their being new or old, in good order or worn out, &c. 

4. Philosophical Apparatus. 
The following is an inventory of all the articles of philosophical or 
otlier apparatus at the date of this application, with the original or first 
cost, (so far as can be ascertained,) and the present value of each article, 
[here proceed with the inventory, including in it, besides what is strictly 
or technically philosophical apparatus, all instruments used in, or illus- 
trative of any of the arts or sciences.] 



Description or name of each article. 


Original cost. 


Present value. 















Stale the totals, and give a general description of the condition of 
the apparatus in respect to its being new or old, in good order or worn 
out, &;c. 

5. Title to Property, Incumbrances, <^c. 

The evidences of title to the property described in the preceding sec- 
lions of this report, have been submitted to of, &c. who is a 
counsellor at law in the supreme court, whose certificate in writing, as 
to the nature and validity of said title, accompanies this report.* The 
said property is free from all incumbrances, (if such be the case ;) [or if 
there be any incumbrances on it, state the general amount of them, and 
refer to certificate of said counsel for particulars, &c.] 

*Note — The certificate of counsel must state that he "has caused the ordinary searches to 
be made for incumbrances." Sew Ordinance of April 25, 1838, herewith published. 



11 

6. Other Academic Property. 

The property of the proposed academy, other than the academy lot, 
buildings, library and apparatus above described, consists of, [here de- 
scribe tlie property in the most general terms, such as the followinf :] 

Bonds and mortgages, considered good, ^ 

A house and lot at, &c. worth, 

100 acres of wild land, &;c 



Total,, 



d!> 



7. Summary Statements. 

The total value of all the academic property above described, is as 
follows : 

Value of lot for academy buildings, .^ 

Value of buildings thereon, 

Value of library, 

Value of philosophical apparatus, 

Total value of lot, buildings, library and apparatus, ^ 

Deduct for incumbrances, if any, thereon, .„ 

Balance of value over and above all incumbrances, 

Add for other academic property, 

Total value of the whole, ^ 



8. Debts. 

The debts contracted on account of the academy now asked to be 
incorporated, and which remain unpaid at the date of this application, 
amount to ,*| 

And the said subscribers further represent, that they have contribut- 
ed more than one-half in value of the property collected for the use of 
said academy, as herein before set forth ; that they are desirous to have 
said academy incorporated, by the name of [here state the name, which 
it is desirable should be descriptive of the place where the academy 
is ;] and to that end they hereby nominate the following named persons 
to be the first trustees of said academy : [here insert names — but there 
cannot be more than 24 nor less than 12 trustees.] 

The said subscribers do therefore hereby make application to the 
Regents of the University for the incorporation of the persons above 
nominated as the first trustees of said academy, by the name above spe- 
cified. [Here insert the signatures of the subscribers.] 

Authentication of Application. 

The preceding application was submitted to a meeting of the sub- 
scribers, held by them on the day of at which meeting 
the following named persons were present, [state names,] and having 
been read and approved, it was duly adopted as the application of said 
meeting, and ordered (after being verified by the oath of the chairman 



12 

or presiding officer) to be transmitted to the Regents of the University, 
pursuant to their ordinance in such case made and provided. 

All which is hereby done in obedience to said order this 
day of 

A. B. Chairman or Presiding Oficer. 

Affidavit above referred to. 
County of ss. — A. B. being duly sworn (or affirmed, as the 

case may be,) deposeth and saith, that he was the chairman or presid- 
ing officer of the meeting, held as above stated, of contributors to the 
proposed academy, asking for an incorporation by the name of 
academy ; that he is acquainted with the contents of said application, 
and that the statement of facts therein set forth is in all respects true, to 
the best of his knowledge, information and belief. 

A. B. 
Sworn before me this day of 



B. 

Application of an Academy already incorporated hy the Legislature 
to become subject to the visitation of the Regents. 

The introductory part of the report should in this case be as fol- 
lows : 

The trustees of academy, established at respectfully re- 

present that they were incorporated by the Legislature on the 
day of A. D, 18 ; that they are desirous to become subject to 

the visitation of the Regents of the University, to enable them to par- 
ticipate in the distribution of the moneys belonging to the Literature 
Fund, pursuant to the statute in such case made and provided ; and to 
that end they hereby subject their said academy to the visitation of the 
said Regents, to the same extent and in the same manner as if they had 
been originally incorporated by them ; and the said trustees herewith 
submit the following statement of the condition of their institution on 
the date of this apphcation, in respect to the several subject matters 
required to be embraced in it. 

[Here adopt the form given in pages 9, 10, 11, as follows :] 

1. Ground for Academy Buildings. 

The only alteration necessary is to strike out the words " to be," in 
the second line, 

2. Academy Buildings. 
The same alteration in line 1. 

3. Academy Library. 
Say, The following is a catalogue of all the books belonging to 
said Academy at the date of this report, with, &c. 



13 

4. Philosophical Apparatus. 
Sat/, The following is an inventory of all the articles of philosophi- 
cal or other apparatus belonging to said Academy at the date of this 
report) with, &,c. 

5. Title to Property, Incumbrances, <^c. 
Say, The evidences of title of the said Academy, to the property, 
&c. 

6. Other Acade?nic Property. 
Say, The property of the Academy, olhei, &c. 
7. Summary Statements. 
8. Debts. 

The debts contracted by the academy which remained unpaid on the 
said day of &c. including all arrears of interest, (if 

any) and all outstanding or unpaid accounts acknowledged as debts, 
amounted on that day to $ (The amount of incumbrances on the 

academic property should be included in this sum.) 

Add 9. Departments. 

The departments of instruction established and in practical opera- 
lion in the academy, are [here describe the different departments, if 
there be more than one, by reference to the subjects of instruction in 
each, or to the sex of the scholars, attending it, and in all cases state 
whether male and female scholars are in the same or in different de- 
partments.] 

[Memorandum. — It will be readily understood, after the above direc- 
tions, that all the variations in these forms are owing to the fact that in 
one case there is an application for an incorporation, and in the other 
the academy is already incorporated. It is necessary to use terms con- 
formable to the respective cases.] 

10. Conclusion and Authentication of Report. 
The preceding report from academy was submitted to 

the trustees of said academy, at a meeting legally held by them on the 
day of, &c. at which meeting the following named trustees 
were present, [state names,] and having been read and approved, it was 
duly adopted at said meeting as the report of said academy, and ordered 
(after being verified by the oath of the presiding officer at said meeting 
and recorded on the minutes of its proceedings,*) to be transmitted to 
the Regents of the University pursuant to the provisions of their ordi- 
nance in such case made and provided. 

All which is hereby done in obedience to said order this 
day of, &c. 

A. B. President, or President pro tern. 

{as the case may be) 

of Academy. 

* It is proper to have the trustees' part of every report entered on their minutes — as it is an 
important part of their proceedings, and a record or copy of it will be required for reference in 
making future reports. 



14 

1 1 . Affidavit above referred to. 

County of ss. — A. B. being duly sworn or affirmed (as the 

case may be,) deposeth and saith, that he is one of the trustees of 
academy, (whose report to the Regents of the University immediately 
precedes this affidavit,) that he officiated as the presiding officer at the 
meeting of the trustees of said academy referred to in the concluding 
part of said report — that he is acquainted with the contents of said re- 
port — that said report is made in the form required by the latest instruc- 
tions received from the Regents of the University, and that the statement 
of facts therein set forth is in all respects true according to the best of 
his knowledge, information and belief. 

A. B. 

Sworn before me this day of, &c. 

NOTES. 

It will be seen that by the law of this State, passed April 17, 1838, 
no academy is allowed to participate in the annual distribution of the 
Literature Fund, until the Regents of the University shall be satisfied 
that, 

1. A proper building has been erected and finished to furnish suita- 
ble and necessary accommodation for such school. 

2. That such academy is furnished with a suitable library and phi- 
losophical apparatus. 

In answer to the probable inquiry as to what shall be deemed a sui- 
table library and apparatus, the following resolutions of the Regents, 
passed June 7, 1839, are subjoined. 

Resolved, That no academy shall hereafter be allowed to participate 
in the distribution of the Literature Fund, unless it shall have, at the 
time of making its annual report next preceding every such distribution, 
a library of the value of at least $150, and a philosophical and chemical 
apparatus of at least the value of $1.50. 

Resolved, That if any academy, which shall not have a library and 
apparatus of the value of $150 each, shall raise by contribution from 
sources other than its corporate property, a sum equal to one-half the 
deficiency, (provided such deficiency exceed $100,) so as to become 
entitled to an equal amount from the Literature Fund, such academy 
shall be deemed to have complied with the foregoing resolution.* 

3. That a proper preceptor has been and is employed for the instruc- 
tion of the pupils of such academy. 

4. That said building, library and apparatus are sufficient for the 
purpose intended, and the whole is of the value of at least of twenty-five 
hundred dollars.! 

* A list of books and apparatus recommended by the Regents to be purchased, will be found in 
subsequent pages. 

+ It must be understood, although the value of the academy building ahne is $2,500, and even 
upwards, yet the academy is still required to provide itself with a library and apparatus, to the 
amount above stated. 



15 

5. That when such academy has been thus placed under the visita- 
tion of the Regents, it shall thereafter share in the distribution of the 
Literature Fund. 

6. It may happen that an incorporated academy applying to become 
subject to the visitation of the Regents, is at the date of that application 
prepared to show that it has instructed students in classical studies, or 
students in the higher branches of English education for four months, 
so as to entitle it to a distributive share of the Literature Fund. Should 
this be desired, it will be proper to send another report, according to the 
form hereafter given for annual reports ; but it will not be necessary to 
repeat a second time the subjects already noticed in the application, 
except by referring to them. The other heads should be filled up, and 
the teacher's report annexed, as hereafter directed. 

7. An infringement of the following ordinance may deprive the aca. 
demy of its annual apportionment. 

AN ORDLNANCE 

Concerning the delegation by Trustees of Academies to third persons, 
of the powers conferred on said Trustees hij taiu, passed March 31, 
1810. 

The Regents of the University having ascertained from the reports 
of some of the academies subject to their visitation, that the practice 
has to some extent existed, of renting the academic buildings to third 
persons as principals, and delegating to them the power of employing 
teachers, fixing the compensation of such teachers, regulating the 
charges for tuition, and prescribing the course of study and discipline, 
DO ORDAIN AND DECLARE, that all contracts between the trustees of an 
academy and third persons, which divest the former of their power of 
controlling the academic building, or by which the right of prescribing 
the course of discipline and study, of employing teachers and fixing their 
compensation, or regulating the charges for tuition, is delegated to such 
third persons, are in violation of the trust with which said trustees are 
invested by law ; and that no academy, the trustees of which shall 
make such a contract, shall be allowed, during the continuance of the 
contract, a distributive share of the Literature Fund. But this ordi- 
nance is not intended to restrain such trustees from leasing buildings 
belonging to the academies under their charge, which have been erected 
or purchased for other purposes than those of study and recitation. 

Charter of an Academy incorporated by the Regents. 
The charter is prepared and executed by the officers of the Regents 
of the University. It is then forwarded to the office of the Secretary 
of State, in order that both it and the application on which it was grant- 
ed, may be recorded. This is always done within a reasonable time 



16 



after the charier has passed, and application should accordingly be made 
directly to the Secretary's office for it. 

Fees are required to be paid for recording the above instruments — 
generally from $3,00 to $5,00. 



II. Of the Annual Reports of Academies. 

LAWS OF THE STATE. 

[Revised Statutes, Part 1, Chap. 15, Title 1, Article 1, ^ 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 29.] 

§ 23. The Regents shall have the control of the whole income aris- 
ing from the literature fund, and shall annually divide such income into 
eight equal parts, and assign one part thereof to each senate district : 
They shall annually distribute the part so 'assigned to each district, 
among such of the incorporated seminaries of learning, exclusive of 
colleges, within such district, as are now subject, or shall become sub- 
ject to their visitation by a valid corporate act. 

§ 24. Every such distribution shall be made in proportion to the 
number of pupils in each seminary, who, for four months during the 
preceding year shall have pursued therein classical studies, or the high- 
er branches of English education, or both. 

§ 25. No pupil in any such seminary shall be deemed to have pur- 
sued classical studies, unless he shall have advanced at least so far as 
to have read, in Latin, the first book of the ^Eneid ; nor to have pursued 
the higher branches of English education, unless he shall have advanced 
beyond such knowledge of arithmetic, (including vulgar and decimal 
fractions,) and English grammar and geography, as is usually obtained 
in common schools. 

§ 26. The Regents shall requii-e each seminary subject to their visi- 
tation, to make an annual return, on or before the first day of February 
in each year, to the secretary of their board. 

§ 27. Every such return shall be attested by the oath, either of the 
principal instructor in the seminary by which it shall be made, or of 
one of the trustees thereof, and shall contain, 

1. The names and ages of all the pupils instructed in such seminary 
during the preceding year, and the time that each was so instructed. 

2. A particular statement of the studies pursued by each pupil at the 
commencement of his instruction, and of his subsequent studies until 
the date of the report ; together with the books such students shall have 
studied, in whole or in part ; and if in part, what portion. 

3. An account or estimate of the cost or value of the library, philo- 
sophical and chemical apparatus, and mathematical and other scientific 
instruments belonging to the seminaries : 

4. The names of the instructors employed in the seminary, and the 
compensation paid to each : 

5. An account of the funds, income, debts and incumbrances of the 



17 

seminary, and of the application therein of the moneys last received 
from the Regents. 

§ 29. The Regents shall prescribe the forms of all returns which they 
shall require from colleges and other seminaries of learning, subject 
to their visitation ; and may direct such forms and instruclions'as, from 
time to lime, shall be given by them as visitors, to be printed by the 
state printer. 

Extract from an act to appropriate the income of the United States 
Deposite Fund to the purposes of education and the diffusion of 
knoioledge, passed April llth, 1838. 

[This, although printed on pages 7 and 8, is again inserted, with an 
additional section.] 

§ 8. The sum of twenty-eight thousand dollars, of the income afore* 
said, shall be annually paid over, on and after the first day of January 
next, to the literature fund, which, together with the sum of twelve 
thousand dollars of the present literature fund, shall be annually distri- 
buted among the academies in the several senatorial districts by the Re- 
gents of the University, in the manner now provided by law ; but no aca- 
demy shall hereafter be allowed to participate in the annual distribution 
of the literature fund, until the Regents of the University shall be satis- 
fied that a proper building has been erected and finished to furnish 
suitable and necessary accommodation for such school, and that such 
academy is furnished with a suitable library and philosophical apparatus, 
and that a proper preceptor has been and is employed for the instruc- 
tion of the pupils at such academy : And further, that the Regents shall, 
on being satisfied that such building, library and apparatus are sufficient 
for the purpose intended, and that the whole is of the value at least of 
twenty-five hundred dollars, permit such academy or school to place 
itself under the visitation of the Regents, and thereafter to share in the 
distribution of the moneys above mentioned, or any other of the litera- 
ture fund in the manner now provided by law. The Regents of the 
University may also admit to such distribution, and to any other of the 
literature fund, any incorporated school, or school founded and govern- 
ed by any literary corporation other than theological or medical, in 
which the usual academic studies are pursued, and which shall have 
been in like manner subjected to their visitation, and would in all other 
respects, were it incorporated as an academy, be entitled to such dis- 
tribution. 

§ 9. It shall be the duly of the Regents of the University to require 
of every academy receiving a distributive share of public money under 
the preceding section equal to seven hundred dollars per annum, to es- 
tablish and maintain in such academy a department for the instruction 
of common school teachers under the direction of the said Regents as 
a condition of receiving the distributive share of every such academy. 

Ordinances of the Regents of the University. 
The following ordinance was passed by the Regents of the Univer- 
sity in 1828, pursuant to the provisions of the Revised Statutes, con- 



18 

tained in the preceding extracts — it will be found to be modified by the 
subsequent ordinance of the Regents, of April, 1838, particularly in 
respect to the description and value of academic property, and the re- 
quisites and forms of academic reports. 

Ordinance of the Regents of the University, defining Classical Stu- 
dies and the Higher Branches of English Education pursued in 
Acadetnies, and prescribing the requisites and forms of their Annual 
Reports, passed March 1 8, 1 828. 

The Regents of the University, desirous to establish a more elevat- 
ed course of instruction in the academies subject to their visitation, by 
defining with greater certainty the various branches of study which 
shall entitle the institution in which they are pursued to a distributive 
share of the income of the literature fund, do ordain and declare as 
follows : 

The distribution of the income of said fund shall be made to each of 
said academies, in proportion to its number of scholars in the classics, 
and in the higher branches of Enghsh education, or both, under the 
following restrictions: 

1. No students, in any such academy, shall be considered classical 
scholars, within the meaning of this ordinance, until they shall have 
studied in such academy, or elsewhere, so much of the common ele- 
mentary prose authors, in Latin, as is equal to one-half of Corderius, 
one-half of Historia Sacra, one-third of Viri Romae, and two books of 
Caesar's Commentaries ; and in addition thereto, shall have read the 
first book of the yEneid of Virgil. 

2. No students, in any such academy, shall be considered scholars 
in the higher branches of English education, within the meaning of 
this ordinance, until they shall, on examination duly made, be found 
to have attained to such proficiency in the arts of reading and writing, 
and to have acquired such knowledge of the elementary rules or ope- 
rations of arithmetic, commonly called notation, addition, subtraction, 
multiplication and division, as well in their compound as in their sim- 
ple forms, and as well in vulgar and decimal fractions as in whole 
numbers, together with such knowledge of the parts of arithmetic 
commonly called reduction, practice, the single rule of three direct, 
and simple interest, as is usually acquired in the medium or average 
grade of common schools in this State ; and until they shall also, on 
such examination, be found to have studied so much of English gram- 
mar as to be able to parse correctly any common prose sentence in the 
English language, and to render into good English the common exam- 
ples of bad grammar given in Murray's or some other like grammati- 
cal exercises ; and shall also have studied, in the ordinary way, some 
book or treatise on geography, equal in extent to the duodecimo edition 
of Morse's, Cumming's, Woodbridge's or Willett's geography, as now 
in ordinary use. 

3. No such classical students shall entitle the institution to which 
they belong to any share of the income of said fund, unless it shall 



19 

appear from the annual report of such institution, that they have pur- 
sued therein, for the space of four months or upwards of the year end- 
ing on the date of such report, the studies herein before declared to be 
preliminary to Virgil, together with the first book of the ^neid of 
Virgil, or other studies in the classics (either in Latin or Greek) usually 
pursued subsequent to the first book of the said yEneid ; or shall, for a 
part of said period, have so pursued the said studies, or some of them, 
(including the said first book of the iEneid, or some of the said stu- 
dies subsequent thereto,) and for the residue of said period, shall have 
pursued the higher branches of English education, after they shall have 
become scholars therein as herein before defined. 

4. No such scholars in the higher branches of English education, 
shall entitle the institution to which they belong to any share of 
said fund, unless it shall appear from the annual report of said institu- 
tion, that they, after becoming such scholars, have pursued therein 
said higher branches of education, or some of them, for the space of 
four months or upwards of the year ending on the date of such report. 

5. All students belonging to any academy, and claimed by it to be 
classical scholars, or scholars in the higher branches of English edu- 
cation, or both, shall be exercised, at convenient and ordinary inter- 
vals, in composition and declamation in the English language. 

The Regents of the University being desirous to consolidate into one 
the various ordinances heretofore adopted by them, prescribing the re- 
quisites and forms of the annual reports of academies, do further or- 
dain and declare as follows : 

Every academy subject to the visitation of the Regents of the Uni- 
versity, and claiming a distributive share of the income of the lite- 
rature fund, shall annually, on or before the first day of February, make 
and transmit to the Regents, (so that the same be received by their 
secretary on or before that day,) a report in wi-iting, exhibiting a full 
view of its state and condition, at the time referred to in its report, in 
respect to the following particulars, viz : 

Value of its academy lot and building : 

Value of its other real estate : 

Value of its library and philosophical apparatus : 

Value of its other personal estate : 

Its tuition money received or accrued, for the year ending on the 
date of the report : 

Interest or income of its permanent funds, received or accrued dur- 
ing said year : 

Amount of its debts remaining unpaid : 

Amount of money received by it from the Regents of the University 
since its last annual report, and how the same has been expended : 

Number and names of its teachers, and the annual salary or com- 
pensation allowed to each : 

Whole number of students, including classical and all others, belong- 
ing to the academy on the date of its report : 

Number of students belonging to the academy on the date of its re- 
port, or who belonged to it during part of the year ending on the date 
of its report, and who are claimed by the trustees to have pursued for 



20 I 

four months of said year, or upwards, classical studies, or the high- 
er branches of English education, or both, according to the true in- 
tent and meaning of the foregoing ordinance. 

The said report shall also contain, or have appended or annexed to 
it, a true catalogue or list of all the students belonging to the academy 
at the date of its report, or during part of the year ending on the date 
of its report, who are claimed by its trustees to be such classical scholars, 
or such scholars in the higher branches of English education, or both, 
and to have pursued their studies for such length of time as to entitle 
them (or the academy to which they belong) to a distributive share of 
the income of the literature fund, according to the true intent and mean- 
ing of the foregoing ordinance of the Regents ; in which said catalogue 
or list shall be inserted the name and age of each student claimed to be 
such scholar as aforesaid, together with a specification of the different 
studies pursued by such student, and the length of time the same were 
pursued in each quarlei or term of the year ending on the dale of said 
report, by recitations of ordinary frequency and in the ordinary way, 
designating said studies by the ordinary name or title of the book or 
treatise on the subject so studied, and designating also the part or por- 
tion of the book or treatise so studied ; and the said catalogue or list 
shall also contain a declaration or certificate, that all the students therein 
named, and claimed to be scholars in the higher branches of English 
education, had been found, on due examination, to have pursued all 
the studies, and acquired all the knowledge, required by the foregoing 
ordinance, as preliminary requisites to their becoming such scholars ; 
and that the ordinance of the Regents, in respect to exercises in com- 
position and declamation, had been compHed with. 

Every academy supplied by the Regents with a thermometer and 
rain-gage, shall, together with its annual report, make and transmit to 
the Regents a return or table (of the form heretofore prescribed) of the 
meteorological observations made with such thermometer and rain-gage 
during the year ending on the date of said report. 

Every such report shall be made with reference (as near as may be) 
to the close of the year to which it relates ; and the same shall be ve- 
rified by the oath of the principal, or one of the trustees of the academy. 

The secretary shall prepare and distribute to the several academies 
subject to the visitation of the Regents, suitable forms for the annual 
reports required by this ordinance to be made by said academies, to- 
gether with a copy of this ordinance, and such instructions for fiUing 
up the blanks in said forms as shall be considered necessary or proper. 



The following resolution was adopted hy the Regents of the Univer- 
sity on the 26th February, 1834. 

Resolved, That no students belonging to any academy shall hereaf- 
ter be considered classical scholars, or scholars in the higher branches 
of English education, or both, so as to entitle the academy to which 



21 

they belong to any share of the income of the literature fund, on their 
account, unless such students be of the age of ten years or upwards, 
at the time of making out the report in which they are claimed to be 
classical scholars, &c. 



The following ordinance, made necessary by the act of the Legis- 
lature of April 17, 1838, was passed by the Regents on the 25ih day 
of April, 1838. It is the most important ordinance now in force on 
the subject of academic reports, particularly in reference to the part of 
them required to be made by the trustees. 

An ordinance relating to the requisites and forms of Academic Re- 
ports and prescribing the conditions on which Academies may he 
incorporated by the Regents of the University, Passed April 25, 
1838. 

Whereas, by an act of the Legislature of the State of New- York 
entitled " An act to appropriate the income of the United States depo- 
site fund to the purposes of education and the diffusion of knowledge," 
passed April 17, 1838, it is among other things provided, that the 
sum of twenty-eight thousand dollars of the moneys therein mentioned 
shall be annually paid over, on and after the first day of January next, 
to the literature fund, which, together with the sum of twelve thou- 
sand dollars of the present literature fund, shall be annually distributed 
among the academies in the several senatorial districts by the Regents 
of the University, in the manner now provided by law. But that no 
academy shall hereafter be allowed to participate in the annual distri- 
bution of the literature fund, until the Regents of the University shall 
be satisfied that a proper building has been erected and finished to fur- 
nish suitable and necessary accommodation for such school, and that 
such academy is furnished with a suitable library and philosophical ap- 
paratus, and that a proper preceptor has been and is employed for the 
instruction of the pupils at such academy. And further, that the Re- 
gents shall, on being satisfied that such building, library and apparatus 
are sufficient for the purposes intended, and that the whole is of the 
value at least of twenty-five hundred dollars, permit such academy or 
school to place itself under the visitation of the Regents, and thereaf- 
ter to share in the distribution of the moneys above mentioned, or any 
other of the literature fund, in the manner now. provided by law. 

And whereas, for the better information of the academies which do, 
or may, claim the benefits of the said, act, it is proper for the Regents 
to declare, in the form of a public ordinance, what will be necessary to 
satisfy them that the buildings, library and apparatus of such academies 
are of the description and value required by said act to entitle them to 
distributive shares of the moneys therein directed to be distributed. 

Be it therefore ordained by the Regents of the University of the 



22 

State of New-York, that every academy, already subject to their visi- 
tation, and claiming a distributive share of said moneys, shall in its 
next annual report, and every other academy or academic institution, 
not already subject to such visitation, but which shall hereafter make 
application to become subject thereto, shall in lis first application made 
for that purpose, set forth with all practicable precision, and in such 
form as shall be prescribed by the Regents, a particular statement 
showing, 

1st. The extent, general description, title, and value of the ground 
on which their academy edifice shall be erected, or which shall be used 
for its accommodation at the time of making such report or applica- 
tion. 

2d. The dimensions, general description, and value of the buildings 
erected on such ground for the use or accommodation of such academy, 
at the time last aforesaid. 

3d. An inventory, or catalogue of all the books and articles of phi- 
losophical or other apparatus belonging to such academy, with a just 
and fair estimate of their value, at the time last above referred to. 

4th. A particular statement of all incumbrances on such academic 
property, or on any part thereof, at the time last above mentioned — it 
being the intention of the Regents to require every academy subject to 
their visitation, to own and possess such property to the value of at 
least two thousand five hundred dollars, over and above all incum- 
brances thereon, as a condition on which such academy will be allowed 
to receive a distributive share of the moneys belonging to the Litera- 
ture Fund. 

And to the end that the Regents may be the better enabled to ascer- 
tain the true value of such academic grounds, buildings and apparatus, 
at the time of making such report or application, the said statement 
shall also set forth and show, when and how the title to such ground, 
library and apparatus was first acquired, and if acquired by purchase, 
what the original or first cost thereof was ; also, when such buildings 
were erected, enlarged, or otherwise improved, of what materials they 
are constructed, with the original or first cost of such buildings and im- 
provements ; also, the state and condition of all such academic pro- 
perty, at the time of making such report or application, in respect to 
its repair or fitness for use ; and if the same be not in good repair, 
wherein, and how long it has been out of repair, and the probable cost 
of putting it in good repair, together with all such other matters as may 
be found to influence in any respect the value of such property. That 
it shall be the duty of the trustees of every such academy, previous to 
making their first report or application required by this ordinance, to 
submit the evidences of their title to the ground occupied for their aca- 
demic buildings, to some person of the degree of counsellor at law in 
the supreme court, for his examination, and to obtain from him a certi- 
ficate in writing, stating his examination of the evidences of title sub- 
milted to him, with his opinion as to the nature and validity of such 
title, and stating, also, that he has caused the ordinary searches to be 
made for incumbrances on such property, with the result of such 
searches ; which said certificate shall be transmitted by the said trus- 



23 

tees, together with their said first report or appUcation, to the said Re- 
gents. 

§ 2. And be it further ordained, that the trustees of every such aca- 
demy in every subsequent I'eport to be made by them to the Regents, 
after the said first report or apphcation, required by this ordinance, shall 
either make and transmit a full statement of all the academic property 
then belonging to them in the manner required by the first section of 
this ordinance, or in lieu thereof state whether such property remains 
in all respects the same as at the lime of making any previous state- 
ment thereof, to be particularly referred to by them, or whether the 
same has been increased or diminished in quantity, enhanced or depre- 
ciated in value, and to what extent, or has in any other and what re- 
spect, undergone any and what change, since the time of making such 
previous statement — showing in all cases the true value of such pro- 
perty at tlie time of making such subsequent report as aforesaid ; and 
it is hereby made the duty of the trustees of every such academy, at 
some time during the year ending on the date of every such report, to 
cause all the books and articles of apparatus then actually possessed by 
them, to be compared with the original catalogues or inventories there- 
of, (to be always preserved for that purpose,) to ascertain whether any 
of their books or articles of apparatus shall have been lost, destroyed 
or damaged beyond the ordinary wear and tear thereof from necessary 
use, and to state in every such report whether such duty has been dis- 
charged, and whether any, and if any, what part of their books and 
apparatus shall on such comparison be found to have been lost, destroy- 
ed or damaged as aforesaid, and through whose act, omission or neglect 
such loss or damage shall have happened. 

§ 3. The Regents being required, by the act of the Legislature above 
referred to, to determine " Whether a proper preceptor has been and " 
is employed for the instruction of the pupils at every academy'''' claim- 
ing a distributive share of the moneys mentioned in said act : Be it 
therefore, (in order to enable the Regents to discharge said duty) fur- 
ther ordained, that the trustees of every academy, subject to the pro- 
visions of this ordinance, shall in their first, as well as in every other 
future report to be made by them, state the name of every preceptor 
employed by them in their academy, for the year, or any part of the 
year, ending on the dale of such report — the age of such preceptor, 
the time he has been engaged in the business of teaching, the general 
course of study pursued by him preparatory to his becoming a teacher, 
and whether he pursues the business of teaching as a permanent pro- 
fession, or only as a temporary occupation. 

^ 4. And be it further ordained, that all reports or applications to the 
Regents, with all statements made in pursuance of this ordinance, and 
all future reports from any academies required to be made by the ordi- 
nance of the Regents of the 18th of March, 1828, as well as all other 
communications purporting to proceed from any academy, or from its 
trustees, as a corporate body, shall be submitted to the trustees of such 
academy at some stated or special meeting, legally held, at which a 
legal quorum shall be present ; and the same shall not be considered as 
a valid act or proceeding of such academy, until it be approved and 



24 

adopted as such at such meeting, and be so declared to be in its con- 
cluding or some other convenient part thereof. And when the same 
shall be so approved and adopted, and so declared to be, it shall, in or- 
der to secure satisfactory evidence thereof, be verified by the oath or 
affirmation of the president or other trustee who shall preside at such 
meeting, to be taken before some person authorized by law to adminis- 
ter oaths. 

§ 5. It being provided by the act of the Legislature before referred 
to, that the Regents of the University may, in their discretion, admit to 
a participation in the distribution of the said public moneys, any incor- 
porated school, or school founded and governed by any hterary cor- 
poration other than theological or medical, in which the usual academic 
studies are pursued, and which shall have been in like manner subjected 
to their visitation, and would in all other respects, were it incorporated 
as an academy, be entitled to such distribution ; it is therefore further 
ordained and declared, that all incorporated schools, or schools founded 
by literary corporations, which shall claim the benefit of the provision 
above referred to, be required, in their application for such benefit, to 
set forth and show the particular grounds on which their claim there- 
to is founded, together with a general statement of their condition as 
to accommodations for instruction, course of studies pursued, and funds 
possessed by them ; and that they also be required to make and trans- 
mit, with every such application to the Regents, the same report in 
respect to the names, ages and studies of the students claimed by them 
to be classical students, or students in the higher branches of English 
education, or both, as academies subject to the visitation of the Regents 
are now, or shall hereafter be, required to make, in relation to the same 
subject matters. 

^ 6, And whereas the Legislature, by providing in their act above 
referred to, that any academy may subject itself to the visitation of the 
Regents, and become entitled to participate in the distribution of the 
public money, on its showing to the satisfaction of the Regents, that it 
is possessed of suitable academic grounds, buildings, library, and ap- 
paratus of the value of $2,500, have thereby estabhshed a rule, or pre- 
scribed a condition, for the admission of academies to the enjoyment of 
the public bounty, different from that heretofore established or prescri- 
bed by the Regents ; 

And whereas the conditions on which academies may be incorpora- 
ted, so as to become entitled to distributive shares of the public money, 
ought in the judgment of the Regents to be the same, whether the 
application for such incorporation be made to them or to the Legislature ; 

Be it therefore further ordained, that all ordinances heretofore adopt- 
ed by the Regents, on the subject of the incorporation of academies, 
be so modified in respect to the kind and value of property required to 
be possessed by the applicants for such incorporation, as to conform in 
that respect to the requirements of the statute above referred to. 

Form of Annual Reports of Academies. 
The academic reports required by the preceding ordinance of the 
Regents, and the laws of the state on which they are founded, must be 



25 

made and transmitted to the Secretary of the University, on or before 
the first day of February, in each year. Before making them, both the 
laws and ordinances above referred to should be attentively read and 
well understood. There will then be no difficulty in filling up the 
the blanks in the following form of a report, which, having been prepared 
with much care, will, it is hoped, be a safe guide. 

To the Regents of the University of the State of Neiv-York. 
The Trustees of Academy, established at 

in the county of Respectfully "Report : That the condition 

of their academy on the day of A. D. [here 

state the day on which the quarter ended nearest to the first of January] 
in respect to the several subject matters required to be reported on by 
them, was as follows : 

Academic Property. 

For a particular statement of their academic lot, buildings, library, 
and apparatus, and for a general statement of their other property, the 
trustees refer to their first report (or application) to the Regents, made 
pursuant to iheir ordinance of the 25th of April, 1838, said report (or 
application) bearing date on or about the day &c. 

The property described in the report or application above referred to, 
remains, in respect to quantity, value, incumbrances, and in all other 
respects the same as at the date of that report, [or if any change has 
taken place, by the purchase of new properly, or by improving the old, 
or in consequence of decline in value, from decay or any other cause, 
or if the incumbrances on it have been increased or diminished, state 
the fact according as it is under the following heads :] 

1 . Ground for Academy Buildings. 
Stale its present value. 

2. Academy Buildings. 
Their present condition — whether out of repair — and what will put 
them in proper repair — their present actual value. 

3. Academy Library. 
Continue the catalogue of books added (if any) since the date of the 
last report, with their original cost and present value, in the following 
form : 



26 



Title or name of books arranged according to 
catalogue, if any, in use. 


Number of vo- 
lumes. 


Original cost. 


Present value. 


Amount at date of last Report. 








[Give the total of each column,] 









Give a general description of the condition of the books in the library 
in respect to their being new or old, in good order or worn out, &c. 
and deduct the value of such as have been lost or destroyed. 

4. Philosophical Apparatus. 

Continue this inventory also from the date of last report ; including 
under it, besides what is strictly or technically philosophical apparatus, 
all instruments used in, or illustrative of, any of the arts and sciences. 



Description or name of each article. 


Original cost. 


Present value. 


At date of last report, ... 


f 


1 





State the totals, and give a general description of the condition of 
the apparatus in respect to its being new or old, in good order or worn 
out, &c. Deduct the value of what is lost, broken or injured. 

If the academy possess any mineralogical or botanical specimens, 
anatomical preparations, or any thing else illustrative of science or art, 
and not included as part of the library or apparatus already described, 
a general description of them should here be given, so as to convey a 
general idea of their extent, variety, character, &c. 

5. Title to Property, Incumbrances. 

The said property is free from all incumbrances, (if such be the 
case.) If there be any incumbrance on it, state the general amount. 

6. Other Academic Property. 

The property of the academy, other than the academy lot, buildings, 
library and apparatus above described, consists of, [here describe in the 
most general terms, such as the following :] 



27 



Bonds and mortgages, considered good, 

A house and lot, at, &c. worth, 

100 acres wild land, in, &c. worth, 



Total, 



7. Summary Statements. 



The total value of all the academic property above described is as 
follows ; 

Present value of academy lot and buildings, $ 

Present value of library, consisting of volumes, (be 

careful to fill the blank with the number of volumes,) .. 

Present value of philosophical apparatus, 

Total value, $ 

Deduct for incumbrances, if any, 

Balance, showing value over and above incumbrances, $ 

Add for other property, valued at, 

Total value of the whole, $ 

8 . Books and Apparatus, compared ivith Catalogues, <^c. 
All the books and articles of apparatus possessed by the academy 
have, during the year ending on the date of this report, been, by or 
under the direction of the trustees, carefully examined and compared 
with the original catalogues or inventories of the books and apparatus 
belonging to the academy. And on such examination and comparison, 
all the books and apparatus belonging to the academy, and which ought 
to be in its possession, were duly found to be in such possession, in 
good order and condition [or if any books or articles of apparatus be 
lost, missing, or damaged beyond what might reasonably be expected 
from ordinary wear and tear in their necessary use, so state the fact, 
specifying the particular books and articles of apparatus so lost or da- 
maged, and stating also the name of the librarian or other person - 
through whose act, omission or neglect, such loss or damage shall have 
happened.] 

9. Debts. 

The debts contracted by the academy which remained unpaid on the 
said day of &c. including all arrears of interest (if 

any) and all outstanding or unpaid accounts acknowledged as debts, 
amounted on that day to $ . (The amount of incumbrances 

as stated above in sect. 7, should be included in this sum.) 



28 

10. Annual Revenue. 

Amount received or receivable for tuition in said academy during the 
year ending on the said day of &c ^ 

Amount received or receivable for interest or income of aca- 
demic properly, accrued during said year, 

Amount received during said year from the Regents of the 
University, on their annual apportionment of the income 
of the Literature Fund, 



Total annual revenue, 



N. B. The items above described should include only what accrued 
during the particular year above referred to. Any thing received in 
that year, for arrears accrued in former years, should not be included — 
the object of the statement being to shov^r the true amount of revenue 
accrued (whether paid or unpaid) for the particular year to which it re- 
fers, in order to enable the Regents to compare annual revenue with 
annual expenditures. 

11. Annual Expenditures. 

Amount paid or payable by the academy, for salaries or compensation 
of teachers, for the year ending on the said day of &c. $ 

Amount paid or payable for interest (if any) accrued during 
said year, on debts outstanding against the academy, 

Amount paid or payable for repairs of buildings or other pro- 
perty belonging to the academy, made during said year,.. 

Amount paid or payable for fuel, and for all other incidental 
expenses, incurred by the academy during said year, 

Total annual expenditure, $ 



N. B. The items above described should include only what was paid 
or payable on liabilities incurred by the academy for the particular year 
mentioned in the statement. Any thing paid in that year, on account of 
liabilities contracted or incurred in former years, should not be includ- 
ed — the object of the statement being to show the true amount of ex- 
penditures or liabihties for expenditures incurred (whether actually paid 
or not) during the particular year to which it relates, in order to enable 
us to compare annual expenditures with annual revenue, to see if the 
academy be falling in debt, or otherwise. 

If any of the items of income or expenditure for any particular year, 
happen to be either greater or less than the average for common years, 
the case should be stated according to the fact. 

1 2. Money received from Literature Fund. 
The moneys received from the literature fund for the last year, as 
stated in the preceding part of this report, under the head of revenue, 
together with all balances (if any) of such moneys received in former 
years and suffered to remain on hand unexpended, have been expended 
during the last year, or are accounted for as follows. [Here state the 



29 

fact as it is, always remembering, before any expenditure be made, 
that all such moneys are required by law to be expended or applied in 
paying the salaries or compensation of teachers.*! 

If the academy, since its last previous report, shall have received 
from the Regents of the University, any money for the purchase of 
books or apparatus, on its raising a similar amount for the like purpose, 
pursuant to the act of the Legislature of the 22d April, 1834, the 
amount of money so received, together with the amount so raised, 
should, under this head of the report, be particularly accounted for by 
staling in detail the several books or articles of apparatus purchased 
with it, and the price paid for each. 

13. Departmenis. 

The departments of instruction established and in practical operation 
in the academy, are [here describe the different departments, if there 
be more than one, by reference to the subjects of instruction in each, 
or to the sex of the scholars, attending it ; and in all cases state whe- 
ther male and female scholars are in the same or in different depart- 
ments.] 

14. Teachers. 

The whole number of teachers employed in said academy on the 
said day of, &c. was , of which number intend 

to make teaching a permanent profession. 

The names, ages, qualifications and compensation of said teachers 
were as follows : [Here state the name of each teacher — the depart- 
;nent in which he teaches — his age — how long he has followed the bu- 
siness of teaching — a general statement of the course of study pursued 
preparatory to becoming a teacher in said academy — if the teacher be 
a graduate of any college, the statement of that fact alone will be suf- 
ficient — if not such a graduate, specify in general terms the subjects 
studied by him, or compare them with the Sub-graduate course of study 
pursued in any of our common colleges, and state what part or propor- 
tion of such a course they would form — or if they are equal to or ex- 
ceed that course, so state the fact, either in reference to the lime such 
teacher was first employed in the academy, or to the time of making 
its report — and in all cases state whether such teacher intends, ox pro- 
fesses an intention, to make teaching a permanent profession, or only a 
temporary occupation — state also the annual salary or compensation 
allowed to each teacher.] 

15. Subjects of study pursued, and class or text hooks used. 
The subjects of study pursued in said academy, during said year, 

* An act relating to the distribution and application of the revenues of the Literature Fund. Passed 

April 22, 1834. 

SlECT. 1. There shall be twelve thousand dollars of the revenues of the literature fund annu- 
ally distributed by the Regents of the University to the academies and schools which now are, 
or hereafter may be, subject to the visitation of the Regents, in the manner now provided by law, 
which money shall be exclusively appropriated and expended by the trustees of said academies and 
schools respectively, towards paying the salaries of teachers. 

By referring to the provisions of the act passed April 17, 1838, it will be seen that the addi- 
tional twenty -eight thousand dollars is granted on the same condition. 



30 

including classical and all others, with the class or text books used on 
each subject of study, were as follows : 

[Here state all the subjects of study of every description, from the 
lowest to the highest, arranged in one column alphabetically ; and in a 
collateral column state, opposite to eabh subject of study, the class or 
text books used in studying it, as well in the lowest as in the highest 
departments ; designating each book by its ordinary title and name of 
the author.] 

16. Composition and Declamation. 
The students in said academy required to be exercised in composition 
and declamation, were exercised therein, during said year, as often on 
an average, as in composition once in days, in declamation once 

in days, as appears from the affidavit of the principal of said 

academy, annexed to this report. 

17. Number of Students. 

The whole number of students, (including classical and all others,) 
belonging to the academy on the said day of was 

The number of students belonging to the academy on the said 
day of or wiio belonged to it during part of the year end- 

ing on that day, and who are claimed by the trustees to have pursued, 
for four months of said year, or upwards, classical studies, or the higher 
branches of English education, or both, according to the true intent and 
meaning of the ordinance of the Regents of the 18th March, 1828, 
was 

A schedule of the names, ages and studies of the said students, so 
claimed by the said trustees to have pursued classical studies, or the 
higher branches of English education, or both, is hereunto annexed, 
duly verified by oath, as required by the law of the State and the ordi- 
nance of the Regents. 

18. Prices or Rates of Tuition. 
The prices charged for tuition in said academy during said year, were 
as follows : [Here slate the different prices in reference to the different 
subjects taught, &c.] 

19. Gratuitous Instruction. 

If (as is known to be the case in some academies) scholars be re- 
ceived from common schools, and gratuitously instructed, either as a 
reward of merit or otherwise, state under this head the number so re- 
ceived, with the grounds or principles on which they are received, &c. 
So if any scholars be received and instructed in the academy for ser- 
vices rendered by them, or on credit, to be paid for out of future earn- 
ings, &c. that fact may also be here stated. 

20. Academic Terms, Vacations, ^c. 
The year is divided for this academy into terms, [here state 

the number of terms, the length of each, the number of vacations, and 



31 

length of each, with the number of pubhc examinations in the academy 
during the year, and how long each examination ordinarily continues.] 

21. Price of Board. 

The average price of board in the vicinity of the academy, for scho- 
lars attending it from abroad, should be stated under this head, and if 
the principal or any of the teachers of the academy receive scholars 
into their private families, the terms may, if desired, be here stated. 

22. Conclusion and. Authentication of Report. 

The preceding report from academy was submitted to the 

trustees of said academy at a meeting legally held by them on the 
day of, &c, at which meeting the following named trus- 
tees were present, [state names,] and having been read and approved, 
it was duly adopted at said meeting as the report of said academy, and 
ordered (after being being verified by the oath of the presiding officer 
at said meeting and recorded on the minutes of its proceedings*) to be 
transmitted to the Regents of the University pursuant to the provisions 
of their ordinance in such case made and provided. 

All which is hereby done in obedience to said order this 
day of, &c. 

A. B. President, or President pro tern. 

{as the case may be) 
of Academy. 

Affidavit above referred to. 

County of ss. — A. B. being duly sworn (or affirmed as the 

case may be) deposeth and saith, that he is one of the trustees of 
academy (whose annual report to the Regents of the University imme- 
diately precedes this affidavit) that he officiated as the presiding officer 
at the meeting of the trustees of said academy referred to in the con- 
cluding part of said report — that he is acquainted with the contents of 
said report — that said report is made in the form required by the latest 
instructions received from the Regents of the University, and that the 
statement of facts therein set forth is in all respects true according to 
the best of his knowledge, information and belief. 

A. B. 

Sworn before me this day of^ &c. 

The trustees' part of the report ends with the affidavit, the form 
for which is above given. The teachers' part makes up the residue 
of the report. It consists of a statement or schedule of the names, 
ages and studies of the students claimed by the trustees, in their part of 
the report, to be classical students, or students in the higher branches of 
Enghsh education, or both. The two parts of the report, although they 

* It is proper to have the trustees' part of every report entered on their minutes — as it is an 
important part of their proceedings, and a record or copy of it will be required for reference in 
making future reports ; but the teachers' part of the report it is not necessary to have entered 
on the minutes, as that is no part of the proceedings of the trustees as a corporate body, and 
will not probably be required for future reference. 



32 

relate to very different subject matters, are so connected by mutual re- 
ferences to each other, that they must be annexed together, before the 
affidavit to either can be sworn to — as the fact of such annexation is 
part of the matter stated in each affidavit. This caution would not 
have been given but for the circumstance that cases have often occurred 
where the two parts of the report have been sworn to, without being 
annexed, or in any manner connected together, and in a few cases they 
have been actually forwarded to the Regents, at different times, thereby 
literally, but no doubt unintentionally, falsifying the reference in both. 
The statement, or schedule, above referred to, should be prepared, 
and sworn to by the principal of the academy ; but in case of his death 
or absence, it should be made and sworn to by some other teacher, if 
there be any, acquainted with the facts to be stated ; or if there be no 
such other teacher, it must be made and sworn to by some one of the 
trustees — stating the reason of his making it, the sources of his know- 
ledge or information, with his belief as to its correctness, &c. The 
following form for the schedule is substantially the same as that con- 
tained in the edition of instructions published in 1836 ; no occasion for 
any alteration having occurred since that time. 



33 






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34 

At the close of the schedule, an affidavit should be added in the fol- 
lowing form : 

County of ss. — A. B. being duly sworn, deposeth and 

saith, that he is principal instructor of academy, whose 

annual report to the Regents of the University is hereunto annexed ; 
that the said report is made in conformity to the latest instructions re- 
ceived from the Regents of the University ; that the annexed (or pre- 
ceding) schedule contains a true statement of the names, ages and stu- 
dies of the several students belonging to said academy on the 
day of , or who belonged to it during part of the year ending 

on that day, and who are claimed to have pursued, for four months of 
said year or upwards, classical studies, or the higher branches of En- 
glish education, or both, according to the true intent and meaning of the 
ordinance of the Regents of the 18th March, 1828 ; that none of said 
students are under the age of ten years, and that such of them as are 
claimed to be classical students have actually pursued all the prelimi- 
nary studies required by the first section of said ordinance, to make 
them such students ; and that such of them as are claimed to be stu- 
dents in the higher branches of English education, had, before they were 
considered as such students, attained such proficiency in the arts of 
reading and writing, and obtained such elementary or preliminary know- 
ledge, as is required by the second section of said ordinance to make 
them such students ; that they have all pursued the requisite studies, 
and performed the requisite exercises in composition and declamation 
(except that females have not been exercised in declamation) for the 
period of time required by said ordinance to entitle said academy to a 
distributive share of the income of the literature fund ; the said exer- 
cises in composition and declamation having been as often, on an ave- 
rage, as once in days. All which this deponent affirms to be 
true, according to the best of his knowledge, information and belief. 

A. B. Principal, ^c. 
Sworn, &c. 

In preparing a form for academic reports, it is proper to reserve a 
place for such suggestions or remarks as the trustees or teachers of 
academies have to submit, either on their own account, or in answer to 
the inquiries made in a subsequent part of these Instructions. Such a 
place may accordingly be here reserved under the general head of re- 
marks, for all statements or suggestions not required to be verified by 
affidavit. 



NOTES. 

teachers' part of the report. 
The teachers' part of the report relates to subject matters of such a 
nature, as not to admit of the necessary instructions being embodied in 



35 

the form prescribed for it ; it therefore becomes necessary to give such 
instructions separately. 

The extracts from ihe Revised Statutes and the ordinance of the 
Regents of the 18th March, 1828, herewith pubhshed, should be at- 
tentively read by every teacher before he undertakes to make out his 
schedule of students, studies, &c. He will there find the following 
leading requirements : 

Names and Ages of Students. 
The names and ages of all the students included in the schedule 
must be particularly stated. The statute above referred to, if construed 
in its most rigid sense, would require the names and ages, as well as 
the studies, of all the students in the academy to be stated in the re- 
port ; but the Regents consider the reasonable intent and spirit of the 
act to be satisfied, if the report state the names, ages and studies of the 
students claimed to be classical, or in the higher branches of English 
education. Where there is any omission of name, it is of course con- 
sidered as a blank in the schedule ; and where age is omitted, it is pre- 
sumed to be less than ten years, and consequently the claim of such a 
student to a place in the schedule is rejected. The form of the teach- 
er's affidavit expressly requires the names and ages of all students 
claimed tobe classical, &c. to be stated. But notwithstanding that cir- 
cumstance, it often happens that the ages of students are omitted, and 
the affidavit of the teacher is thereby falsified, not wilfully y but care- 
lessly. 

Studies pursued, ^c. 

Both the law of the State and the ordinance of the Regents require 
the different studies of each pupil, during each term or quarter of the 
year, to be stated in the report, together with the progress made in 
each study, as measured by the quantity or portion of each book stu- 
died. Such a requirement imposes a very laborious and troublesome 
duty on teachers ; but as it is a requirement made by law, it cannot be 
dispensed with ; nor would the Regents probably dispense with it, if 
they had the power, as no other requirement of equal efficacy could be 
substituted in its place — the subjects of study pursued, and the pro- 
gress made in them, being the only practical data on which the Regents 
can safely rely in making their distribution of the public money. 

The deficiences most commonly occurring in the teachers' report on 
the studies pursued, &c. relate either to the insufficient extent of the 
studies, or to insufficient description of them. 



36 

Insufficient Studies. 

In respect to classical studies, the statute above referred to provides 
that no student shall be deemed to have pursued classical studies, un- 
less he shall have advanced at least so far as to have read in Latin, the 
first book of the ^Eneid. What particular studies are to make up the 
intermediate stages of the advance, or vv^hat in other words shall pre- 
cede Virgil, not being specified in the statute, it became necessary for 
the Regents to specify it, which they accordingly did by their ordi- 
nance of 1828, in which it was expressly declared that no students in 
any academy should be considered classical scholars, until they should 
have studied so much of the common elementary prose authors in La- 
tin, as is equal to one-half of Corderius, one-half of Historia Sacra, 
one-third of Viri Romse, and two books of Cassar's Commentaries, 
and should also have read the first book of the ^Eneid. The quantum 
of Latin study required to precede Virgil being thus expressly defined, 
{Xi terms of the plainest possible import, it was not expected to be mis- 
apprehended or overlooked. Yet it has heretofore often been, and 
sometimes still is a subject of the most unaccountable misapprehension 
or neglect. Students passing directly from grammar, or other like el- 
ementary studies, into Virgil, in almost total disregard of the interme- 
diate course prescribed by the Regents, are not only claimed to be 
classical scholars under the ordinance above referred to, but are sworn 
to be such by the affidavit of the teacher, which is thus falsified by his 
own showing. 

Both the statute of the State, and the ordinance of the Regents 
above referred to, provide that no one shall be considered a classical stu- 
dent, until he shall have completed a prescribed course of study, ending 
with the first book of the iEneid ; and as it is provided in another part 
of the statute, that classical studies shall be pursued four months in 
each year, to entitle a student to a share of the public money, it might 
at first view be inferred, that the four months here required must elapse 
after a student becomes such a classical one, that is after his having 
completed the prescribed course above referred to. But such an in- 
ference is not in accordance with the construction given by the Regents 
to the lav/, which only provides when a student shall be considered 
classical for certain specified purposes. It does not define or alter 
classical studies. So that if the prescribed course ending with the first 
book of the ^Eneid be completed, and four months be spent in doing it, 
the requirement of the statute is satisfied, as much as if the four 
months had been spent in studies subsequent to Virgil. 



37 

In respect to English studies, the statute provides that no student 
shall be deemed to have pursued the higher branches of English edu- 
cation, unless he shall have advanced beyond such knowledge of Arith- 
metic, English Grammar and Geography, as is usually obtained in com- 
mon schools. The studies preliminary to the higher branches of En- 
glish education, which are here stated only in general terms, are more 
particularly prescribed and defined in the ordinance of the Regents 
above referred to ; but neither that ordinance, nor the statute on which 
it is founded, prescribes or defines what shall constitute the higher 
branches of such education. And hence it often occurs in academic 
reports, that certain studies are claimed to have the rank of higher 
branches of education, which are not allowed by the Regents to be of 
that character. The following extract from a report made by a com- 
mittee of the Regents in 1829, will exhibit the views then entertained 
on this subject, which have not been since materially varied. 

" The ordinance of the Regents, prescribing the requisites and forms 
of the academic reports, defines the studies which shall be considered 
preliminary to the higher branches of English education, but does not 
define what those higher branches shall be. This omission in the ordi- 
nance is understood to have been made, partly on account of the diffi- 
culty of embracing in any definition, all the subjects of study which 
deserve the rank of higher branches of education ; but chiefly for the 
purpose of reserving to the Regents the right of determining what 
shall be considered the higher branches of education, as they shall, 
from time to time, be presented in the academic reports. In the exer- 
cise of this reserved right, the committee have had no difficuity in con- 
sidering all kinds of History, Geometry, Algebra, Botany, Rhetoric, 
Natural and Moral Philosophy, Logic, Chemistry, Book -Keeping, Sur- 
veying, Mensuration, Navigation, Astronomy, Trigonometry, Consti- 
tution of the United States, or of this State, Grecian and Roman An- 
tiquities, higher parts of Arithmetic, if particularly specified. Geogra- 
phy, with the Use of Globes or Mapping, as entitled to be ranked among 
the higher branches of education ; but they have had some difficulty 
in determining on the character which ought to be given to the study of 
modern languages other than English, such as French, German, Spanish, 
&c. These subjects of study do not strictly come within the range of 
an EngHsh education, nor can they be considered parts of the classics. 
They nevertheless appear to the committee to be equivalent in merit to 
most other subjects of study which are specially favored by the Re- 
gents. The committee have, therefore, placed the students engaged in 



38 

these studies, on a par with classical scholars, or scholars in the higher 
branches of English education. 

" In some of the academic reports. Geography, English Grammar, 
and Arithmetic, are claimed to be higher branches of English educa- 
tion ; but in all cases where such a claim has been made without any 
specification to show what particular parts of those branches have been 
studied, the committee have invariably rejected the claim, consider- 
ing such studies not above the ordinary grade of studies in common 
schools." 

Another committee of the Regents, in a subsequent report on the 
same subject, made with special reference to the study of Geography, 
submitted the following remarks : 

" In the report of the committee of distribution for the last year, 
the study of Geography, with the Use of the Globes or Mapping, was 
included among the studies appertaining to the higher branches of En- 
glish education. The present committee do not propose to reverse the 
decision of their predecessors in respect to that study, but only to add 
what ihey consider an implied qualification of it. Geograph}'^, with 
the Use of Globes, is rightly considered as one of the higher branches 
of English education, provided the study of it be pursued at a proper 
time and in a proper way. The proper time for such a study is after 
the student has gone through with the elementary books on Geography ; 
and the proper mode of studying the Use of the Globes is by demon- 
strating or performing the problems relating to the globe, as laid down 
in any of the approved works on the subject. The study of Geogra- 
phy in its elementary stages, accompanied by an exhibition of the 
globes, or a reference to the use of them, or by the exercise of map- 
ping, is not such a study as was intended to come within the definition 
of any of the higher branches of any English education." 

In a still later report, on the same or similar subjects, the following 
remarks were submitted : 

" In some reports, Geography, with the Use of Globes, is claimed 
to be among the higher branches of English education, without any 
designation of the kind of Geography studied, &c. but such claim can- 
not be allowed ; none of the elementary books on Geography can be 
considered ' higher branches of education,'' as they are expressly de- 
clared by the act of the Legislature and the ordinance of the Regents 
before referred to, to be preliminary to the higher branches. But after 
the elementary study of Geography be completed, if the student enter 
on the study of the more advanced parts of it, such as Physical Geo- 



. 39 

graphy, &c. as found-in the largest edition of Woodbridge, Maltebrim, 
&c. and especially if such study be accompanied by exercises on 
globes, it ought to be considered among the higher branches of educa- 
tion, and where its character is shown by sufficient specification in the 
reports, it has been uniformly so considered by the Regents. The 
same remark may be made in respect to Arithmetic ; its elementary 
parts, as defined in the ordinance of 1828, not being considered among 
the higher branches ; but the more advanced parts, if sufficiently spe- 
cified, being so considered. 

" What actually constitutes the higher branches of English educa- 
tion, is not defined by any act of the Legislature, nor by any ordinance 
of the Regents. This omission is not accidental ; but is owing to 
causes which have been fully stated in former reports made by com- 
mittees of distribution, and published for the information of the acade- 
mies. But the studies required to precede the higher branches of edu- 
cation are specially defined in both the law of the State and the ordi- 
nance of the Regents ; and it was certainly reasonable to expect that 
none of the studies thus declared to be preliminary to the higher 
branches, would be put forth as part of such branches ; but such ex- 
pectations have net been realized. In some of the reports, such stu- 
dies, or others equally inferior, have been treated as higher branches of 
education ; but the claim to have them so considered has in all cases 
been overruled by the committee." 

It will be observed, on attentively perusing the ordinance of the Re- 
gents of the 18th March, 1828, (herewith pubhshed) that there is a ma- 
terial difference between classical students and students in the higher 
branches of English education, in respect to the mode of computing 
the period of study. If a student spend four months of the year in clas- 
sical studies preliminary to Virgil, and in the first book of the ^neid 
of Virgil, he is a classical student, within the meaning of the ordinance 
under consideration ; but if he spend any length of time in the studies 
preliminary to the higher branches of Enghsh education, (specified in 
the second section of the said ordinance,) he does not thereby entitle 
the institution to which he belongs to any share of the public money ; 
he must, after having actually pursued all the preliminary studies, and 
acquired all the knowledge prescribed in the second section of said or- 
dinance, have spent at least four months of the year in the study of the 
higher branches of English education. If the distinction here stated, 
between classical and other studies, be well understood, much of the 



40 

difficulty heretofore experienced in making out the academic reports 
will be obviated. 

Insufficient Description of Studies. 

The statute so often above referred to requires a description or par- 
ticular statement of the studies pursued by each pupil, with the books 
studied in whole or in part ; and if in part, what part. 

The subjects of study, as well as the books used in studying them, 
are here required to be stated. It is not sufficient to state either alone. 
In some instances, the subject studied, such as History, Astronomy, &c. 
is stated without any mention of the text books used : but as the ex- 
tent and character of any study depend much on the books used, such 
a description must be considered entirely insufficient. 

Another instance of insufficient description is where studies are de- 
scribed by the words " the same as last ;" leaving it uncertain whether 
the last preceding term or last preceding student be referred to. Such 
references are proper when there is no ambiguity attending them, as in 
the form herewith published. 

But the most common fault, under the head of insufficient descrip- 
tion, lies in not stating how much of each book is studied. In such 
cases, we are to intend that the whole book has been read, yet as the 
time spent on it is given, it often falsifies such intendment, as well as 
the affidavit of the teacher, in which such intendment is in effect sworn 
to. To specify all such particulars is, I am aware, attended with a 
great deal of labor, and not unfrequently with great difficulty, particu- 
larly where there are changes of teachers during the year for which 
the report is made. But as both the law of the State, and the ordi- 
nance of the Regents, require the trustees or their teachers to state the 
part of each book studied during each term, with the time spent on it, 
&c. the duty cannot be dispensed with. 

If there be only three terms in any academy during the year, that is, 
if any term be intended to be one-third of a year, although on account 
of vacations, it may not embrace four full months, yet for all practical 
purposes it may be considered as four months. 

Term of Study in each Academic year. 
In some few academies, scholars, who have not pursued classical 
studies, or the higher branches of English education, four months of 
the year, ending on the date of the annual report, but who, having pur- 
sued such studies for four months, including fractional parts of the pre- 



41 

vious year, not covered by the report of that year, are reported and 
claimed to have pursued the requisite studies, for the requisite time, to 
entitle the institution to which they belong, to a distributive share of 
the public money on their account ; thus adding together fractions of 
time in two different academic years, to make up the whole period of 
four months required for a single year. But all such claims have been 
invariably rejected ; the law of the State and the ordinances of the 
Regents requiring in the most explicit terms, the time of study to be four 
months of the year ending on the date of the report. The Regents 
allow the trustees of each academy to arrange the terms, or sessions, 
of their academic year, as they may think proper ; but they are re- 
quired to make their report for the year ending with the close of the 
term nearest to the first of January ; and when the terms are so esta- 
blished, the academic year must be governed by them. Fractions of 
time in one year can in no case be used for another year. 

Students in the Departments for the education of Common School 

Teachers. 

It is deemed proper to inform academies having such departments, 
that all such students will entitle them to receive a share of the public 
money, provided their studies are of the required character and con- 
tinue for the prescribed period of time, (four months in each year.) 
The fact of their belonging to the department, does not disqualify them 
from being classical students, &c. 

Uniformity/ of Academic Reports. 
A defect in the academic reports, which has much increased the 
trouble of examining them, is their want of uniformity. A form for 
the reports has been prepared by the Secretary, and ample instructions 
given for filling it up ; but the teachers of several academies, rejecting 
the form thus prescribed, have substituted a different one of their own, 
which, although it may contain the substantial requisites of the one 
provided for them by the Secretary, must necessarily, by its non-con- 
formity to the established form, add much to the labor of examination. 
In some instances, the students claimed as classical or in the higher 
branches of English education, are put down promiscuously with all the 
other students in the academy, thus subjecting the Secretary or exa- 
mining committee to the unnecessary trouble of separating one class 
from the other. In other cases, the students claimed as classical, &c. 
are put down or named in reference to every quarter or term of the 

6 



42 

academic year, and the studies pursued in it ; instead of naming the 
students only once, and putting down against their names the studies 
for all the terms of the year in immediate succession. The difference 
between the two modes of making the returns, in respect to the labor 
of examination, &c. is very great. 

It is desirable to have the academic reports uniform, not only in 
matters of substance, but also in matters of form. Some reports have 
been made so as to form a roll, which is very inconvenient, both for 
filing and examination. They should be in the form of a book, like 
this circular. All the sheets should be attached to each other ; other- 
wise the affidavits which refer to them as attached, will be insufficient. 
But the meteorological journal should not be attached to the report ; 
as the report, when received, is to be only folded and filed away, while 
the journal is to be bound up into a volume for preservation and refe- 
rence. The size of the paper should be that of common foolscap, that 
the returns from all the academies may be conveniently bound together. 
All reports should be forwarded so as to be received by the Secretary of 
the Regents, on or before the first of February in each year. , 



43 



III. Meteorological Reports. 

Instructions for Meteorological Reports. 

At a meeting of the Regents of the University, held pursuant to ad- 
journment, in the Senate Chamber, March 1, 1825 — 

It was Resolved, That each of the academies incorporated by this 
Board be furnished with a thermometer and pluviameter, or rain gage, 
the expense of which shall be paid out of the funds of ihe Regents ; 
and that the Vice-Chancellor, Mr. Lansing, and Mr. Greig, be a com- 
mittee to provide those instruments, and to prescribe the rules for mak- 
ing observations by them, and the manner in which the accounts of 
them shall be kept ; reports of which shall be annually made to this 
Board. 

At a subsequent meeting of said Regents, held on the 12th day of 
April, 1825, 

It was further Resolved, That in addition to the existing regulations 
to entitle the academies to their dividends of the public fund, it will be 
considered necessary that they keep an exact register of observations 
made with the thermometers and rain gages with which they shall be 
furnished, according to the instructions that may be given them by the' 
committee appointed for that purpose ; and that, with their annual re- 
ports, they shall give correct registers of such observations ; and that 
the Secretary furnish each of the academies with a copy of this reso- 
lution. 

A true extract from the minutes of the Regents. 

G. HAWLEY, Secretary, <^c. 

In pursuance of the preceding resolutions, the following rules and 
instructions have been adopted fov the direction of the academies of 
this State, in making meteorological observations and the registry there- 
of, to be annually reported to the Regents. 

The Thermometer must be kept in a situation where there is a free 
circulation of air, and where it can not be aflfecled either by the direct 
or reflected rays of the sun, or by a radiation of heat or cold from 
neighboring bodies. Heat may be reflected or radiated from bare, dry 
earth, sand, gravel or pavement. The place about it should therefore be 
covered with grass in its season. Heat may oe reflected to some dis- 
tance from walls or other structures of a light color ; the thermometer 
should, therefore, be placed considerably remote from them. Massy 
walls slowly imbibe or part with caloric ; they will, therefore, after sud- 
den changes in the weather, possess, for some time, a temperature dif- 
ferent from that of the circulating air, and by radiation affect the thermo- 
meter, if placed near to, or in contact with them ; this must therefore 
be avoided. 

The Rain Gage must be kept remote from all elevated structures, to 
a distance at least equal to their height, and still further off, where 



44 

can be conveniently done, and be not more than ten feet above the sur- 
face of the ground. 

In freezing weather, when the rain gage can not be used out of doors, 
it may be taken into a room : and, instead of it, a tin vessel should be 
procured for receiving the snow, rain or sleet that may then fall. This 
vessel must have its opening exactly equal to that of the rain gage, and 
widen downwards, to a sufficient depth, with a considerable slope. It 
should be placed where nothing can obstruct the descending snow from 
entering it, and where no drift snow may be blown into it. During a 
continued snow storm, the snow may occasionally be pressed down in 
it. The contents of the vessel must, at proper times, be melted over a 
fire, and the water produced poured into the gage, to ascertain its con- 
tents, which must then be entered in the gage column of the register- 

Observations by the Thermometer must be made every morning, be- 
fore sunrise, in order to obtain the lowest degree, every afternoon, at 3 
P. M. or thereabouts, when it shows the highest degree, and every 
evening, an hour after sunset. The lowest degree, or coldest weather, 
is supposed to occur generally between the commencement of daylight 
and sunrise ; and the highest degree, or warmest weather, between 2 
and 4 o'clock in the afternoon. The degrees are to be taken from 
Fahrenheit's scale. 

[The Regents have not, at present, any thermometers to furnish for 
the use of academies. Those heretofore furnished by them were ma- 
nufactured by Mr. Kendall, at New-Lebanon. In case such thermo- 
meters can not be obtained, others should be procured, the degrees on 
which are marked according to Fahrenheit's scale. Academies not 
supplied with thermometers and rain-gages by the Regents, are not re- 
quired to make meteorological observations.] 

Observotiuns by the rain gage should not be delayed long after a fall 
of rain, and the amount every half month must be entered in its proper 
place. 

For the Register, a book of at least twenly-four folio pages foolscap 
size, must be procured, of which each left hand page must be ruled into 
ten perpendicular columns, for the entries of one month. The first 
column for the days of the month, to be headed Days ; the second, 
third, fourth and lifih, to have the caption Thermometer ; the second 
column for the morning observations, to be headed Morn; the third 
column for the afternoon observations, to be headed Aftern. ; ihe fourth 
column, for the evening observations, to be headed Eveng. ; and the 
fifth column, for the mean temperature, to be headed Mean ; the sixth 
and seventh columns to be captioned Winds, and headed A. M. and 
P. M. ; the eigth and ninth columns to be captioned Weather and 
headed A. M. and P. M. ; and the tenth column to be headed Rain 

gage- 

The Entries opposite to each day of the month are to be made in the 
following manner : For the Thermomtter, in the Morn, column, enter 
the lowest degree found in the morning ; in tlie Aftern. column, enter 
the highest degree found in the afternoon ; in the Eveng. column, enter 
the degree observed an hour after sunset ; and in the Mean column 
enter the mean temperature of the day, which is thus found : to the 



45 

morning observation, twice the afternoon observation, and twice the 
evening observation, add the next morning's observations, and divide 
the sum by 6. 

The object of this calculation will be evident when it is recollected 
that we wish to obtain through it the mean temperature of any 24 hours. 
By taking twice the afternoon figure, twice the evening figure, the tem- 
perature of the morning of the day, and the temperature of the morning 
of the succeeding day, and adding the six together and dividing by six, 
we have at once the elements for obtaining the mean temperature for 
that given lime, and also procure the necessary result. 

For the Wi7ids, enter in the A. M. column, N. — NE. — E. — SE. — 
S. — SW. — W. or NW. according to the prevalence of the wind in the 
forenoon from either of these eight half quarters of the compass. Do 
the same in the P. M. column, for the prevailing winds in the afternoon. 

For the Weather, enter in the A. M. column, Fair or Cloudy, as 
either of these aspects shall prevail in the forenoon. Do the same in 
the P. M. column, for the weather of the afternoon. When rain or 
snow falls, or both together, instead of cloudy, eniei Rain, Snow or R. 
4" S. for rain and snow. 

For the Rain Gage, enter the inches, tenths and hundreds shown by 
the scale, immediately before the water is drawn off, which is to be 
done until or Zero stands level with the upper edge of the bar across 
the funnel of the gage. 

The right hand pages are to be appropriated to observations on ve- 
getation, and also such miscellaneous remarks as may be considered 
interesting ; such as thunder and lightning, hail storms, tornadoes or 
hurricanes, destructive floods, uncommon meteors, white or hoar frost, 
the first appearance of barn swallows in the spring, and occasionally 
the depth of snow on the ground and its disappearance, &c. The ob- 
servations on the Phenome?ia oj Vegetation are to be directed to the 
lime when the white or red Currants blossom, when the Shadbush or 
Juneberry* and the Dogwood trees in their natural situation, and the 
Peach, Pear and Apple trees, in open fields are in bloom ; that is, 
when at least one-half of the blossoms are fully expanded. When the 
flowers, called aments or catkins of the White Oak, the Chesnut, the 
Black-Birch^ and the AspenX begin to drop. When ri]pe field Straw- 
berries first appear in any quantity. When the Wheat harvest com- 
mences. When the last killing frost occurs in the spring, observed 

* Called Mespihis Canadensis, by Linnaeus — Mespilus nivea, by Marshall, in his ArbnstTum 
Americanum — Mespilus arborea, by Michaux, and Aronia botryapinm by Persoon and Wildenow. 
In this State it is commonly called Shadblmv or Shadbush. Michaux says, that in the northern 
section of the Union it is called Wild Peartree. and in the middle States, Juneberry, and that 
" with the exception of the maritime parts of the Carolinas and Georgia, this tree is spread over 
the whole extent of the United States." On this account, and also on account of its being one 
of our earliest flowering forest trees, and the conspicuous manner in which it displays its snow- 
white Ijlossoms when the foliage of the woods has yet scarcely made its appearance, this tree 
is peculiarly deserving of a place among those which are selected for observations. 

t Betula lenta — This tree is every where known by the name of Black Birch. It is also called 
Mountain Mahogany in Virginia, Sweet Birch and Cherry Birch, in Connecticut, Massachusetts 
and farther north. In Canada it is universally called Cherry Birch. — Michonx. 

% Popidus Tremvloides. — Trembling Poplar or American Aspen. 



46 

on tender buds, young leaves, or the germs of fruit trees or other vege- 
tables ; and the Jirst killing frost in the fall of the year, noticed by its 
destroying tender plants, such as the vines of cucumbers, melons and 
beans. 

At the end of the 14th of February, and the 15th of every other 
month, add together the numbers in the column of mean temperature,, 
divide the sum by the number of days, and set down the quotient un- 
derneath, for the mean of the Jirst half of the month. Do the same 
for the other days, at the end of the month, and set down the quotient 
at the bottom of the column, for the mean of the second half of the 
month ; add this to the first mean, and divide the sum by 2, for the 
mean of the whole month, which enter accordingly. 

Count the number of times that each point of the compass appears 
in the A. M. and P. M. columns, under the caption of Winds, and the 
half thereof must be considered as the whole number of days on which 
that wind has prevailed during the month ; and enter in a convenient 
place the number of days thus found, on which the wind has prevailed 
from each of the eight half quarters of the compass. 

Fair and cloudy days. — This column should be kept totally distinct 
from that of rain, snow, &c. State first, the number of fair and clou- 
dy days in each month ; then the number of days on which rain has 
fallen, and the same as to snow, or rain and snow. It is not expected 
that the number of hours during which rain, &c. fell, shall be summed 
up, to make up days and fractions of days. It is the number of days 
on which it fell, no matter whether on one it rained only 15 minutes, 
and on the others, during 24 hours. 

It is desirable that the location of each academy be described by 
bearings and distances from some of the bounds of the town in which 
it is situated, for the purpose of having its latitude and longitude cor- 
rectly determined. 

It is also very important to know the elevation of every academy in 
which observations are made. For this purpose, the observer should 
state its height with reference to some point ascertained during the nu- 
merous canal and road surveys made in this Stale during the last few 
years. There is no academy reporting, which is more than three or 
four miles, either from tide water or from known elevations obtained as 
above. 

The temperature of wells should also be ascertained, both in winter 
and summer. Let the depth to which the thermometer is sunk, be 
stated. 

S. DE WITT, Vice-chancellor, CKn. 

N. B. The number of days on which it rains or snows, or both, should 
be carried out — and this whether it rains or snows for an hour or the 
whole day. The object is, to ascertain on how many days it rained or 
snowed. The quantity is obtained by the rain gage. 

The above instructions for meteorological observations were given in 
1825. Since then, and during 1833, a new rain gage has been adopt- 
ed, called the Conical Rain Gage, for using which, the following in- 
structions have been prepared by the Chancellor of the University. 




47 

Conical Rain Gage. 

The Regents of the University have resolved that each of the aca- 
demies subject to their visitation be furnished with a Conical Rain 
Gage, and directed that observations be made with it ; the obser- 
vations with those heretofore furnished, to be at the same time con- 
tinued in the usual manner, and that the results of both be given in the 
next annual reports, in order that their comparative accuracy may be 
ascertained ; and if it prove to be such as is anticipated, it is intended 
to prescribe the use, thereafter, of the conical gages only ; for the 
management of which, observe the following 

Directions. 

For the fixture of the gage, have a board made in this form, which 
nail to the top of a post about eight feel high. 
The circular opening is to be five inches di- 
ameter, and bevelled so as to fit the side of the 
gage. In this the gage is to be suspended ; 
and the cap, with its base downwards, pressed 
into it. However closely it may fit by being thus pressed down, suflS- 
cient room will be left between it and the sides of the gage, to permit 
the water to pass to its bottom. 

Immediately after every shower, or fall of rain, the water must be 
measured and the contents registered, and then discharged. On this 
will depend the accuracy of the account ; for, from the construction of 
the gage, the degrees of the scale near its bottom being the largest, 
small quantities may be measured with greater accuracy by this than by 
the gages commonly used. The cap is intended to prevent evaporation 
before the measurement is made, should that be accidentally delayed. 
The measurement is made by putting down to the bottom of the gage, 
the point of the measuring stick, and applying the distance between it 
and the water mark to the scale. 

The graduation of the scale is by hundredths of an inch for the first 
three-tenths of an inch, and above that by tenths and half tenths. The 
intermediate distances may be measured by the eye, and set down in 
decimals. 

When showers, or rains of short duration, fall, it will be well to 
note the A. M. and P. M. with the hours between the beginning and 
ending, prefixed ; in order that the time may be compared with that of 
observations made at other places. 

If a rain continues for any length of time, the observations should 
be made at suitable intervals, before the water rises in the gage. 

It is important that the measure be taken without delay after every 
fall of rain, as experience has proved that the water in the gage will 
soon become diminished by its rising along the inside of the gage, by 
capillary attraction, and then become dissipated by evaporation. 

The usual precaution must be observed in giving the rain gage such 
a position as that nothing may obstruct the rain, in its most oblique di- 
rection, from entering it, and no sediment must be suffered to remain 
in it. 



48 

A description of the Conical Rain Gage, and the principles of its 
construction, is given in Silhman's American Journal of Science and 
Arts, for April, May and June, 1832, 

SIMEON DE WITT, 

Chancellor of the University. 
May 15, 1833. 

The form of registering meteorological observations must be as fol- 
lows : 

On the first or title page of the meteorological reports, a certificate 
must be made and signed by the principal of the academy, or, in his 
absence, by some one of the teachers or trustees, stating by whom the 
observations have been made, (whether by a teacher of the academy, 
or how otherwise,) and his opinion of their correctness, &c. 

The whole title page should be in the following form : 



METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS. 

FOR THE YEAR 184 

MADE UNDER THE DIRECTIONS OF THE 

REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF THE STATE OF 

NEW-YORK, 

AT 

Academy, 

SITUATED IN THE TOWN OF IN THE COUNTY OF 

Latitude Longitude 

I, A. B. of said Academy^ do hereby cer- 

tify, that according to the best of my knowledge and belief, all and 
singular the meteorological observations, as registered in the follow- 
ing tables, have been correctly made, and truly registered, by 

(Signed,) A. B. 

Each month in the year, commencing always with the month of 
January, and ending with the month of December, should have a whole 
page in the Journal, set apart for a table of registry, in the following 
form, which must be Uterally followed ; 



50 



AN. 


THERMOMETER. 


)ays. 


Morn. 


After. 


Even 


Mean. 


1 


35 


40 


30 


32.83 


9, 


22 


39 


37 


35. 


3 


36 


49 


40 


41.83 


4 


37 


45 


36 


36.83 


5 


22 


42 


35 


34.66 


5 


32 


40 


35 


.36.33 


7 


34 


36 


28 


32.5 


8 


23 


35 


25 


27.16 


9 


20 


30 


24 


24.66 


10 


20 


30 


22 


23.66 


11 


18 


25 


26 


24.66 


1? 


28 


43 


32 


31.16 


13 


27 


36 


30 


30.83 


14 


26 


38 


35 


34.16 


15 


33 


38 


30 


32.66 



WINDS. 



First half month, 



32.13 



16 


27 


17 


26 


IS 


24 


19 


25 


20 


15 


21 


16 


22 


— 8 


23 


16 


24 


28 


25 


13 


26 


15 


27 


3 


28 


15 


29 


3 


30 


— 5 


31 


—10 


Feb.l 


5 



34 
29 
34 
28 
22 
25 
25 
36 
35 
19 
26 
25 
40 
22 
18 
20 



29 
26 
28 
20 
19 
8 
20 
30 
22 
16 
14 
19 
25 
8 
4 
12 



29.83 
26.65 
28.83 
22.44 
18.83 
12.33 
16.30 
29.33 
25.83 
16.33 
16.33 
17.66 
24.66 
9.66 
4.83 
9.83 



A.M. 



W 
W 

S 

w 

NW 

NW 

W 

sw 

sw 

N 

SW 
NW 
SE 

S 



SE 

N 

SW 
NW 
N 

NW 
SW 
SW 
NW 
N 
N 

NE 
SW 
SW 
NW 
SW 



P.M. 



NW 

S 

SW 
NW 
SW 

N 

w 
w 

sw 

sw 

NE 

w 

NW 
E 
SW 



SE 

.NE 

SW 

NW 

N 

NW 

SW 

S 
NW 

N 

W 

s 

W 

w 
w 

sw 



WEATHER. 



A.M. 



fair 

fair 
cloudy 

fair 

fair 
cloudy 

snow 

fair 

fair 

fair 
cloudy 

fair 

fair 
cloudy 
cloudy 



cloudy 
cloudy 
cloudy 
cloudy 
cloudy 

fair 
cloudy 

fair 

cloudy 

cloudy 

cloudy 

cloudy 

cloudy 

fair 

fair 

fair 



P.M. 



fair 

fair 
cloudy 

fair 

fair 
cloudy 
cloudy 

fair 

fair 

fair 

snow 

fair 

fair 

rain 
cloudy 



cloudy 

snow 

fair 

fair 

snow 

fair 

cloudy 

fair 

fair 

S&R 

fair 

fair 

fair 

fair 

fair 

fair 



RAIN. 



Gage. 



0.42 
0.42 



0.35 



1.13 




WINDS. N,4days;NE,li; f • J; ^f ' Jij, ^ ^jAo^^f^.^^S li 

jk'k^^Sa'wTN^a'rw: '^Wn^ ' : ,, 

WaSnett day, 3d ; coldest, 30th. Highest degree, 49 ; lowest, -10. 

Annual abstracts should be made out at the end of the monthly ta- 
blet and rtmnieT with those tables to the Regents, m the following 

form : 



51 









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52 

NOTE BY THE SECRETARY OF THE REGENTS. 

Common Rain Gage. — In explanation of the principles on which the 
rain gage is constructed, and in answer to various inquiries which have 
been made on the subject, it is proper to observe, that the area of the 
funnel at the top of the cylinder, in its widest part, being eight times 
the area of the cylinder below, one inch in depth of rain falling in the 
open air, and received through the widest part of the funnel, will fill 
eight inches in depth of the cylinder ; and, consequently, the moveable 
rod in the cylinder, being attached to a hollow, floating bulb, will be 
raised eight inches above the cross-bar at the top of the funnel. This 
space of eight inches is divided into 100 equal parts, or small divisions, 
so that each part or division above the cross-bar will indicate the one- 
hundredth part of an inch of rain fallen ; and 100 of those parts or divi- 
sions, covering eight inches on the rod, will indicate one inch of rain 
fallen, and must be registered accordingly. 

Fair and cloudy days. — This column should be kept totally distinct 
from that of rain, snow, &c. State first, the number of fair and cloudy 
days in each month ; then the number of days on which rain has fallen, 
and the same as to snow, or rain and snow. It is not expected that 
the number of hours during which rain, &c. fell, shall be summed up, 
to make up days and fractions of days. It is the number of days on 
which it fell, no matter whether on one it rained only 15 minutes, and 
on the others, during 24 hours. 

Time embraced in the report. — The report must embrace one whole 
year, commencing with the 1st of January, and ending with the 31st of 
December, but not commencing or ending on any other days. With- 
out observing this regulation, the results of observations at different 
academies cannot be compared with each other ; and as such a compa- 
rison is one of the leading objects proposed by the Regents, uniformity 
in this respect must be insisted on. 

Form of the report. — As it is inconvenient to furnish all the acade- 
mies with blank forms for meteorological reports, it will be expected 
that such reports be hereafter made in manuscript. The reports are to 
be bound in volumes, those for a single year making one volume. In 
order to have the several volumes, and the several parts of each volume, 
uniform, the paper used for the reports should be uniform as to its di- 
mensions. That heretofore used has been common foolscap, making, 
when bound into a volume and trimmed, a leaf of about 13 by 8 inches : 
let that he the standard for all subsequent reports. 

GIDEON HAWLEY, 

Secretary, ^c 

Albany y March, 1834. 



53 



NOTES. 

The rapid advancement, during late years, of the science of Meteo- 
rology seems to call for some alterations and improvements in the pre- 
sent mode of observing. It is the intention of the present Secretary to 
present his views on this subject to the Regents at their next annual 
session. Any attempt however will prove fruitless, unless the Legis- 
lature shall be pleased to permit the Regents to dispose of a portion of 
their surplus funds in the purchase of suitable instruments and in the 
appointment of proper observers in various parts of the State. 

The Regents have repeatedly urged the subject on the attention of 
the Legislature, and a favorable bill has at different sessions passed Se- 
nate or Assembly. 

Until a change can thus be effected, the Secretary, in addition to the 
preceding instructions, solicits attention to the following points : 

1. Accuracy in the daily, semi-monthly and monthly calculations. 
These are sometimes neglected, so as to give a month of 28 or 32 days, 
and occasionally indeed errors in simple addition are detected. 

2. Thunder Storms. The neglect in registering their occurrence, 
and noting the day on which they happen, and thus enabling us to form 
comparative tables, both of their frequency and their prevalence in par- 
ticular months, is severely censured by M. Arago, in a late memoir on 
Thunder Storms and their phenomena. After remarking that these 
things are not noticed in the Tables of the Royal Society of London, 
he adds that a similar omission exists in the Academical Collections of 
the United States of America. Presuming that by these he can only 
mean the Meteorological Reports of the academies in the State of 
New-York, we suggest that every occurrence of a thunder storm be re- 
gistered, so that at the end of the year, tables may be constructed, giv- 
ing the number in each month, and the total for each year. 

3. Sior7?is. The phcenomena of these are acquiring great interest 
through the investigations of Mr. Redfield, Mr. Espy and Col. Reid 
of the British army. If possible, note the force and direction uf the 
wind when they commence ; the number of hours that the wind conti- 
nues in that direction ; whether it varies, and if so, to what direction ; 
how long this continues, and how much rain (if any) falls. State as 
near as possible the length of time that the storm continues. 

4. Aurora Borealis. Be particular in noticing whether foul weather 



54 

(and what description of it) occurs within 48 or 60 hours after the ap- 
pearance of an aurora. 

5. Quantity of Rain at different heights. "Observations with the 
rain gage (understood to have been recently made) have been found 
to indicate very different quantities of rain as falling upon the very same 
spot, according to the different elevations of the gage. In general, 
jess rain is collected in high than in low situations, even though the 
difference of altitude should be inconsiderable. Thus it was discovered 
that in the space of a year, while 12.1 inches only fell on the top of 
Westminster Abbey, 18.1 were collected on the roof of a house 16 feet 
lower ; and even 22.6 inches of rain at the ground. Similar observa- 
tions have been made at the summit and near the base of hills of no 
great elevation." Art. ^^ Meteorology^'' in Encyclopedia Britannica. 
Gentlemen that are provided with two rain gages, might add to the 
facts on this subject already collected, by placing one on the top of the 
academy edifice or some other higher elevation and noting the diffe- 
rence between the quantity of rain, thus collected and that in the ordi 
nary gage. 

T. R. B. 



56 



IV. Variation of the Magnetic Needle^ 

At a meeting of the Regents of the University of the State of New= 

York, held pursuant to adjournment, in the Senate Chamber, March 

20lh, 1832. 

On motion of Mr. Dix, it was 

Resolved, That so much of the annual report for the year 1832, of 
the trustees of Geneva college, as relates to the expediency of adopt- 
ing a course of experiments upon the variations of the magnetic nee- 
dle, be referred to a select committee. 

The Chancellor and Mr. Dix and Mr. Bleecker were appointed such 
committee. 

At a meeting of the Regents of the University, held pursuant to ad- 
journment, in the office of the Clerk of the Senate, March 28, 
1832. 

Mr. Bleecker, from the committee to whom was referred so much of 
the annual report for 1832, of the trustees of Geneva college as relates 
to the expediency of adopting a course of experiments upon the varia- 
tions of the magnetic needle, reported : 

That it is very desirable that observations should be annually made 
on the variation of the needle, inasmuch as the boundaries of lands are 
usually described according to the courses indicated by the needle, and 
there are no rules by which its variation can be ascertained, for any in- 
terval of time, according to which such bounds can be retraced, where 
the land-marks have been obliterated. But as the Regents are not in- 
vested with the power of enjoining the making of such observations 
on the colleges and academies placed under their supervision, the com- 
mittee are of opinion that it ought to be recommended to them to in- 
stitute courses of such observations, and make annual reports thereof 
to the Regents, and that a committee be appointed to address the trus- 
tees of the colleges and academies in this State on this subject, staling 
their opinion of the manner in which, for the sake of accuracy and uni- 
formity, the observations ought to be made. 

Which, having been read and considered, was accepted, and the 
same committee who made said report were constituted a committee 
for the purposes therein mentioned. 

A true extract from the minutes of the Regents. 

GIDEON HAWLEY, Secretary, 

In compliance with these resolutions, the committee to whom the 
subject thereof had been referred, addressed circulars to the colleges- 
and academies, recommending to them a co-operation with the views 
of the Regents, impressing on them the importance thereof, and pre- 
scribing the rules for doing it ; the most essential of which is the fol- 
lowing, which was recommended as that most commonly used by as- 
tronomers to establish a true meridian, and is now again recommended 
as preferable to any other. 



56 

Take from the nautical almanac the north polar distance of the pole 
star. 

Find the latitude of the place on the map of the State, if it has not 
been otherwise ascertained. 

From these data, calculate the greatest azimuth of the pole star by this 
formula : 

" As the cosine of the latitude is to radius, so is the sine of the north 
polar distance of the pole star to the sine of its azimuth." 

Ascertain the direction of this azimuth line, which can be most con- 
veniently done in the latter part of September or the beginning of Oc- 
tober, for then the pole star will appear in its proper place, soon after 
it is visible in the evening. This is most accurately done with a good 
transit instrument, but where that is wanting the following method is 
recommended. 

Suspend a plumb line from as high a fixture as can be procured, 
■with a heavy weight fastened to its lower end, and immersed in a vessel 
of water to steady it. A pole or piece of timber, projected from the 
second or third story of a house, may be used for the suspension of the 
plumb line ; or it may be suspended from a corner of the roof of a 
house, allowing a clear view from it for several degrees to the east of 
north. To the south of this plumb line, distant from it not more than 
four-fifths of its length, plant two posts, four feet high, and eight, ten 
or twelve feet apart from each other, in a line transverse to the meri- 
dian. To these fasten a board or plank horizontally. When the time 
of observation approaches, keep a nail with its point on the edge of the 
board, in a range with the plumb line and the star, and when the star 
ceases its apparent movement to the east, fasten the nail to the board. 
The range of the nail with the plumb line will then be the azimuth line 
of the pole star in its great eastern elongation. 

The north polar distance of the pole star for the beginning of this 
year (1834) is 1° 34'' 34''^, which is diminished at the rate of nearly 
20 seconds a year. In September next it will be, to the nearest mi- 
nute, 1° 34''. From which, for the purpose of relieving observers from 
calculations, the following have been made of the greatest azimuth of 
the pole star, in next September, within the latitudes of our State. In 
the latitude of 40° it will be 2° 03^ to the nearest minute, to which is 
to be added one minute for every half degree of a higher latitude. 
Such are the calculated azimuths now, and they may be used for 
some years hence, without any important error in the results respect- 
ing the object in view. To make meridians for observatories would 
require a greater attention to minutiae. 

From the line of the observed azimuth, made in the manner before 
directed, an offset must be made, calculated from the azimuth angle 
thus found, to the point through which the true meridian is to be drawn, 
at the extreme ends of which permanent monuments must be placed, 
from one of which observe the magnetic meridian to a point opposite 
to the other, and measure the distance between them. From this, cal- 
culate the angle between the true and the magnetic meridians. 

As an example, the following is given, of the manner in which a 
meridian line has been estabhshed at Ithaca, in September last. From 



57 

the corner of a brick building the azimuth line was ascertained, by ob- 
servations made for two or three successive evenings, by a transit in- 
strument, and from it an offset was made to the true meridian, calcu- 
lated from the azimuth angle of 2° 09^ ; through the point of this off- 
set the true meridian was then drawn, from the place of observation, 
to the distance of 1,568 feet, where a stone monument was placed. 
With a compass then set at the place of observation, the magnetic me- 
ridian was observed to a point opposite to this monument, and the dis- 
tance between them measured, which was found to be 78.3 feet — From 
this and the 1,568 feet between the extreme ends of the meridian line, 
the difference was found, by trigonomical calculation, to be 20° 5F, 
as the variation of the needle at Ithaca ; fractions of a minute being 
rejected as unnecessary. 

Where meridian lines have been drawn from observations, however 
carefully made, it is recommended to have them re-examined by the 
prescribed rules ; for the requisite correctness cannot be expected from 
a single observation, nor ought a few additional ones to be relied on for 
perfect accuracy. 

When a plumb line is used, a light must be thrown on it, to render 
it visible, and a lantern advanced to the further end of the line of ob- 
servation, to serve as an object, and to mark the spot where it termi- 
nates. 

To ascertain the fact that there is nothing about the place, by which 
the needle may be attracted, the compass must be set at different points 
on the meridian, in order to see that its bearings are uniform. 

In a former circular an alternative was mentioned, as the means 
of establishing a true meridian, which was by the direction of the 
stars Alioth and Gamma Cassiopeias, when vertical ; but this me- 
thod is not so much to be relied on as that which has before been re- 
commended, because of the difficulty of observing stars so far apart 
from each other, and the great altitude of one of them ; and since they 
move in opposite directions, because of the rapidity with which they 
will cross the same vertical line ; whereas the apparent motion of the 
pole star, to the east or west, when near its greatest azimuth, will for 
some time be imperceptible, thereby affording some leisure for ensuring 
the correctness of the observation. 

The meridian line having been thus accurately and permanently fixed, 
(and this ought to be considered as an indispensable appendage to every 
college and academy,) observations should be made on it at least once 
in every year, in order to ascertain the difference between it and the 
magnetic meridian. For the sake of uniformity, let this be done in Oc- 
tober. 

These observations should be made early in the morning, for it is 
well known that the variation of the needle will be increased, some- 
times to the amount of 15 minutes, between sunrise and the middle of 
the afternoon, and that it will, before the next morning, return to its 
mean direction. 

Much useful information may be obtained by examining well marked 
lines of various ages, and comparing their present with their original 
magnetic bearings. 

8 



58 

The main object in making these observations being to ascertain the 
annual changes in the direction of the needle, it is important that the 
same compass be used at ihe same place, and that no other be substi- 
tuted without comparing them with great care, and noticing the diffe- 
rence, if any be observable. Thiee compasses considered as good, 
were set on the meridian at Ithaca, and no two of them were found to 
agree by several minutes. It would be well to try several on every 
meridian, and select as the standard to be used, the one that may be 
considered the best. Where this is done, it ought to be noticed in the 
annual reports. 

The circular of last year on this subject concludes with the follow- 
ing remarks, which are now repealed, and urged with increased ear- 
nestness : 

" In regard to the subject now presented to your notice, the Regents 
claim no mandatory authority, especially over colleges ; it therefore 
comes to you as a recommendation, that you will co-operate with those 
who preside over other institutions,, for carrying into effect a measure 
deemed important for the promotion of science, and which may be con- 
sidered of siill greater importance in matters touching conflicting claims 
between individuals of our Slate. It is therefore hoped that, impressed 
with a due sense of the general purposes for which the institution over 
which you preside has been created, this representation, made on be- 
half of the Regents, may not be disregarded, and that hereafter they 
may be furnished by the colleges and academies, in their annual re- 
ports, with observations made by them on the direction of the magnetic 
needle compared with that of the ti ue meridian, and that a detailed ac- 
count be given by each, of the manner in which its meridian line has 
been established." 

S. DE WITT, Chancellor. 



59 



V. Distribution of the Literature Fund and forms 
necessary to obtain the amount allotted to each 
academy. 

The literature fund is now under the care and management of the 
Comptroller of the State, in the same manner as the common school 
fund. The apportionment or distribution of its income among acade- 
mies, is made by the Regents of the University, annually, in the month 
of February, (ordinarily in the latter part of that month.) As soon as 
the apportionment is made, it is certified by the Chancellor and Secre- 
tary of the University to the Comptroller, on whose warrant the amount 
apportioned to each academy will be paid by the Treasurer of the 
State, on drafts or orders therefor drawn on him by the treasurers of 
the several academies ; such drafts or orders being accompanied by a 
proper certificate from the president or secretary of the academy, under 
its corporate seal, that the person signing the draft is the treasurer of 
the academy, duly appointed by the trustees thereof. The draft may 
be in the following form : 

To the Treasurer of the State of New- York. 

Pay to or order, the amount of money apportioned 

or to be apportioned during the present year, to Academy, 

by the Regents of the University, out of the income of the literature 
fund. 

Dated, &;c. A. B. Treasurer of Academy. 

State of New- York, > 
County of > ' 

It is hereby certified, that A. B. the person 
signing the above draft or order, is the treasurer of Academy, 

above named, duly appointed by the Trustees thereof; and that the said 
draft was duly signed by him. 

In witness whereof, the corporate seal of said Academy is hereon 
impressed, this day of, &c. 

[l. s.] C, D. President or Secretary 

(as the case may be) of Academy. 

If there be no seal of the academy, that fact should be stated in the 
certificate. 



60 



VI. Applications for money to buy Books and Ap- 
paratus. 

LAW OF THE STATE. 

Extract from an act relating to the distribution and application of the 
revenues of the Literature Fund, passed April 22, 1834. 
" Any portion of the excess of the Literature Fund over the sum of 
twelve thousand dollars, may, in the discretion of the Regents, be as- 
signed to any academy or school subject to their visitation, and sub- 
ject to such rules and regulations as they may prescribe, for the pur- 
chase of text books, maps, globes or philosophical or chemical appara- 
tus : such sum shall not exceed two hundred and fifty dollars, in any 
one year. But no part of the said excess shall be actually paid over, 
unless the trustees of the academy or school to which it is to be appro- 
priated shall raise and apply an equal sum of money to the same object." 

Ordinances of the Regents of the University. 

The Regents of the University having been empowered by an act of 
the Legislature, " relating to the distribution and application of the 
revenues of the Literature Fund," passed April 22, 1834, to assign, in 
their discretion, to the several academies and schools subject to their 
visitation, certain parts of said revenue, not exceeding $250 a year to 
any one of said academies and schools, to be applied to the purchase of 
text books, maps and globes, or philosophical or chemical apparatus, 
for the use of such academies and schools, subject to such rules and 
regulations as the said Regents shall prescribe : 

And it being provided by the said act, that no part of the moneys so 
to be assigned to any academy or school, shall be actually paid over to 
them, unless their trustees shall " raise and apply an equal sum of 
money to the same object," (which said provision, according to the de- 
cision of the Regents heretofore made thereon, requires said sum to be 
raised from sources other than the corporate funds already possessed 
by said academies and schools :) 

And the trustees of sundry academies, in compliance with a resolu- 
tion of the Regents, of the 25th of April, 1834, having signified their 
intention to raise and apply certain sums of money for the purposes 
contemplated by said act in case they receive from the Regents an 
equal sum of money to be applied for the same purposes ; but no evi- 
dence having as yet been presented to the Regents, that the said sums 
of money so intended to be raised and applied by the said trustees, 
have been actually raised, or secured to be raised, in the manner re- 
quired by the said act ; and the trustees of some of said academies, in 
declaring their intention to raise said sums of money, having acted on 
the presumption that the same might be raised by an appropriation out 
of their existing corporate funds, which is contrary to the true intent 
and meaning of the said act, as understood and adjudicated by the Re- 
gents : 



61 

And it appearing to the Regents to be intended by the said act, that 
the books and apparatus to be purchased as therein contemplated, should 
be approved by them : 

Be it therefore ordained by the Regents of the University, 

First. That no part of the revenue of the Literature Fund, to be as- 
signed to any academy or school for any of the purposes contemplated by 
the said act, shall be paid over to such academy or school, until the trus- 
tees thereof shall certify and declare under their corporate seal, that the 
money required by said act to be raised and applied by them for the same 
purposes, has been raised by contribution, donation, or from other 
sources independent of their own corporate property : I'hat the same 
has been actually paid to their treasurer, or satisfactorily secured to 
be paid to him on demand therefor, to be applied for the purposes above 
mentioned, designating said purposes by specifying the particular books, 
maps and articles of apparatus proposed to be purchased by them. 

Second. Whenever (but not oftener than once a year, and during the 
annual session of the Regents,) the trustees of any such academy or 
school shall present to the Regents the certificate required by the pre- 
ceding section of this ordinance, the Regents will, in case such certifi- 
cate, or the matters therein contained be satisfactory to them, appropri- 
ate out of the revenue of the Literature Fund set apart for that purpose, 
(being the excess of said revenue over $12,000) so far as the same 
shall be sufficient for that purpose, after first satisfying and paying 
thereout the appropriation already made by them for the support of the 
departments for educating teachers of common schools established in 
certain academies, a sum of money equal to what shall appear from 
such certificate to be raised for the purposes therein specified, (but not 
exceeding the amount allowed by said act,) to be applied to the pur- 
chase of such books, maps and articles of apparatus as shall be specified 
in such certificate, or to the purchase of such other books, maps and 
articles of apparatus as the Regents shall designate and direct to be 
purchased in lieu thereof, or of part thereof; notice of the articles so to 
be designated and substituted, being given tb the said trustees. 

Third. Whenever any appropriation shall b€-4Hade by the Regents 
pursuant to the provisions contained in the last preceding section of 
this ordinance, it shall be the duty of the Chancellor and Secretary of 
the University to certify the same to the Comptroller of the State, that 
the same may be paid by him according to the statute in such case 
made and provided. 

Fourth. The Secretary shall cause this ordinance to be printed, and 
copies thereof to be sent to all the academies and schools in the State 
subject to the visitation of the Regents. 
A true copy. 

GIDEON HAWLEY, 

Secretary of the University. 

May 1, 1834. 



62 

Form of an application for money to purchase hooks and apparatus. 
To the Regents of the University of the State of New- York : 

" The trustees of Academy respectfully represent that they 

have raised, or caused to be raised, the sum of dollars, to be 

applied to the purchase of books and apparatus, pursuant to the act of 
the Legislature relating to the distribution and application of the reve- 
nues of the Literature Fund, passed April 22, 1834 ; that the said 
sum has been raised by donations or contributions from sources inde- 
pendent of their oivn corporate property ; that the same has been ac- 
tually paid to their treasurer, or satisfactorily secured to be paid to him 
on demand therefor ; that it is intended to apply the said sum of mo- 
ney, together with the money hereby applied for pursuant to said act, 
to the purchase of the books and articles of apparatus particularly spe- 
cified in the schedule hereunto annexed. 

The said trustees therefore hereby apply to the Regents of the Uni- 
versity for an appropriation to the said academy of the sum of dol- 
lars out of the moneys mentioned in the said act, to be applied, toge- 
ther with the like sum raised by them as above mentioned, to the pur- 
poses stated in said schedule, pursuant to the provisions of the act above 
referred to. 

Done by the trustees of said academy at a legal meeting held, &c. 
[concluding the application in the same manner as is provided for the 
annual report in the form published on page 31 of these instructions, 
substituting the word " application^'' instead of " report T] 

This application must be verified by the oath of the president or per- 
son presiding at the meeting of the trustees, when it was directed to be 
made. 

The Schedule 
Of books and apparatus proposed to be purchased must then be an- 
nexed. And in preparing it, classify the books proposed to be pur- 
chased thus : 

1. Books selected from the list prepared by the Regents. 

2. Books not taken from the Regents' list. 
Then, 

3. Apparatus. 

Academies to report in their next annual Report, how all the money 
raised and appropriated for the purchase of Books and Apparatus has 
been expended. 

Copy of an Ordinance, passed May 1 0, 1 836. 
The Regents, considering the amount of money already appropriated, 
and which may hereafter be appropriated, pursuant to their ordinance 
of the 1st of May, 1834, and the act of the Legislature therein men- 
tioned, to sundry academies for the purchase of books and apparatus, 
and it appearing to them proper that more satisfactory evidence of the 
manner in which such money is expended should be furnished to them. 
Ordain, 



63 

That the trustees of every academy to whom any money has been 
appropriated for the purposes above mentioned, be required to render 
in their next annual report to be made by them, a particular and spe- 
cific account of the manner in which such money, togeiher with the 
money raised by them for the like purposes, has been expended ; and 
that the trustees of every academy to whom any such money shall here- 
after be appropriated for similar purposes, be required to render a like 
account of such expenditures in then- annual report to be made by ihem 
next after receiving such money. 

Preference of certain Academies in appropriations of money for the 
purchase of hooks and apparatus. 

The fund which the Regents of the University are empowered by 
law to appropriate annually to academies for the purchase of books and 
apparatus, being limited in amount, and the appropriations made during 
1838, having exhausted the fund fo: that year, and several applica- 
tions for such appropriations having been laid over for the next year, it 
became necessary for the Regents to adopt some general provisions re- 
lative to priority of right in cases whe;e all applications made cannot be 
granted. The following resolutions, offered by Mr. Dix, in view of the 
considerations above stated, were adopted by the Regents, at their 
meeting of the 7ih of June 1839, ard copies thereof were ordered to 
be sent to the academies. 

Resolved, That whenever there shall be applications to this Board 
for appropriations of money to purcha.^e books and apparatus, and there 
shall not be a sufficient amount on hand to grant all such applications, 
the preference shall be given to those academies which shall, at the 
time, have received the least amount from the literature fund for that 
purpose. 

Resolved, That whenever applications shall come before the Board at 
its first annual meeting, or any subsequent adjourned meeting, before 
the annual report of the Board to the Legislature shall be adopted, from 
academies which shall have received appropriations of money for the 
purchase of books and apparatus, such applications shall be reserved 
until that time, for the purpose of ascertaining whether other applica- 
tions shall be made from academies not having received such appro- 
priations. 

A form of a draft for money appropriated to an academy for the pur- 
chase of books and apjjaratus. 

To the Treasurer of the State of Neia- York : 
Pay to or order, the sum of dollars appropri- 

ated by the Regents of the University on the day of 

184 to Academy for the purchase of books and apparatus. 

Dated, &c. A. B. Treasurer of Academy. 

(This draft must be accompanied by a certificate in the form given 
on page 59.) 



64 



NOTES. 

1. The money in question must be raised from sources other than 
the corporate property of the academy. 

2. Cases have occurred where contributions of books, minerals, 
&c. have been claimed by academies as a sufficient compliance with 
the above requirement ; but the Regents have, in all such cases de- 
cided " that contributions made to acade?nies for the purpose of 
enabling them to obtain appropriations of money from the State for 
the purchase of books and apparatus, must be made in actual money" 

3. In cases where academies, having raised certain sums of money 
for their general endowment, applied parts of it to the purchase of books 
and apparatus, and in consideration of having so apphed it, petitioned 
for a like appropriation from the Regents for the like purpose, the pe- 
tition has in all such cases been denied ; the Regents having decided, 
" that all contributions for such purposes shall be made with special 
reference to some intended application to the Regents for a like ap- 
propriation, and in consideration thereof .^^ 

4. The act of the Legislature of the 22d of April, 1834, under which 
applications for appropriations of money for the purchase of books and 
apparatus are made, having provided that the money obtained on such 
applications shall be applied, under the direction of the Regents, to the 
purchase of " text books, maps, globes,''^ &c. ; and some academies 
having understood the words " text books," as used in the act, to mean 
class books, or books required for actual use in academic classes, it 
became necessary for the Regents, in exercise of the discretion con- 
ferred on them by the act, to give a construction to the words " text 
books." They accordingly, in 1835, gave such a construction to these 
words, as to include under them all standard books, whether designed 
for use as class or text books, or otherwise. In their report to the Le- 
gislature for 1835, the Regents stated their reasons for giving a con- 
struction to the words above referred to, beyond what their strict literal 
import would seem to warrant. 

5. The books proposed to be purchased must be classified as above 
directed. Several applications have been returned for amendment in 
consequence of inattention to this. 

Recommendation of books and apparatus to be purchased by 
academies. 
Several academies having, in their application for money to pur- 
chase books and apparatus, requested the Regents to designate the part 



65 

ticular books and articles of apparatus most suitable for them to pur- 
chase, it was referred by the Regents to their standing committee on 
the appropriation of money for the purchase of books and apparatus 
to make, in all such cases, the designation requested. 

Mr. Dix, as chairman of the committee above referred to, has, with 
the approbation of the other members of the committee, prepared, in 
pursuance of the above order of reference, a list of books recom- 
mended by them, which is here published for the information of aca- 
demies. 

Books. 
The following list is furnished for the purpose of indicating the kinds 
of books which the Regents of the University consider proper to con- 
stitute libraries for the academies ; but it is not intended to restrict the 
academies exclusively to this list in making their selections. If other 
books are desired, the propriety of allowing them to be purchased will 
be determined by the Board when applications for the appropriation of 
money for the purpose shall be made. In the catalogues accompany- 
ing all such applications, the selections from the following Hsts will be 
distinguished from selections not made from it, by placing them in dif- 
ferent columns, with these captions, viz : 

1. Books selected from the list prepared by the Regents. 

2. Books not taken from the Regents' list. 

THEOLOGY AND ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. 

Chalmers' Evidences and Authority of Christian Revelation. 

Butler's Analogy. 

Burnet's History of the Reformation. 

Hannah Adams' View of all Religions. 

Josephus' Works. 

Watson's Apology. • 

Paley's Evidences of Christianity. 

Pilgrim's Progress. 

Wollaston's Religion of Nature. 

Buck's Theological Dictionary. 

Paley's Natural Theology. 

Mcllvaine's Evidences of Christianity. 

Prideaux's Connections. 

HISTORY, BIOGRAPHY AND ANTIQUITIES, 

Bancroft's History of the United States. 
Ramsay's History of the United States. 
Graham's History of the United States. 
Botta's History of the American Revolution. 
9 



66 

Hume's History of England, with Smollett and Bissett's Continua- 
tion. 
Goldsmith's History of England. 
Mackintosh's History of ihe Revolution of 1688. 
Russell's History of Ancient and Modern Europe. 
Mayor's Universal History, 
Gibbon's Roman Empire. 
Ferguson's Roman RepubHc. 
Goldsmith's History of Rome. 
Niebuhr's History of Rome. 
Sparks' American Biography. 

Gillies' History of the World, from Alexander to Augustus. 
Gillies' History of Greece. 
Mavor's History of Greece. 
RoUin's Ancient History. 
Tytler's Universal History. 
Robertson's History of America. 
Robertson's History of Scotland. 
Robertson's History of India. 
Robertson's History of Charles V. 
Millott's Ancient and Modern History. 
Hallam's History of the Middle Ages. 
Belknap's History of New-Hampshire. 
Hutchinson's History of Massachusetts. 
Smith's History of New-York. 
Eastman's History of New-York. 
Smith's History of New-Jersey. 
Trumbull's History of Connecticut. 
Keith's History of Virginia. 
Williamson's History of North-Carolina. 
Williams' History of Vermont. 
Bozman's History of Maryland. 
Watson's Life of Philip If. 
Watson's Life of Philip HI. 
De Stael on the French Revolution. 
Heeren's Historical Works. 
Bolingbroke's Letters on History. 
Botta's Italy under Napoleon. 
Gordon's History of Ireland. 
Coote's Continuation of Russell. 
Molina's History of Chili. 
Southey's History of Brazil. 
Mills' History of Chivalry. 
Mills' History of the Crusades. 
Murphy's Tacitus. 
Thompson's Suetonius. 
Hampton's Polybius. 
Athens, its Rise and Fall, by Bulwer. 
Wheaton's History of the Northmen. 
Lee's Memoirs of the War in the Southern States. 



67 

Schiller's Thirty Years' War in Germany. 

Kennet's Roman Antiquities. 

Adam's Roman Antiquities. 

Potter's Grecian Antiquities. 

Archasologia Americana. 

Marshall's Life of Washington. 

Sparks' Life of Washington. 

Ramsay's Life of Washington. 

Life of La Fayette. 

Franklin's Life and Essays. 

Irving's Life of Columbus. 

Middleton's Life of Cicero. 

Wirt's Life of Patrick Henry. 

Voltaire's Life of Peter the Great. 

Voltaire's Life of Charles XIL 

Plutarch's Lives. 

Prescott's History of Ferdinand and Isabella. 

Cooper's History of the Navy. 

Boswell's Life of Johnson. 

Biography of the Signers of the Declaration of Independence. 

Lempriere's Universal Biography. 

Elliot's American Biographical Dictionary. 

Labaume's Campaign of Napoleon in Russia. 

Sully's Memoirs. 

JURISPRUDENCE, POLITICS AND COMMERCE. 

Secret Debates in the Convention of the United States. 

Beck's Medical Jurisprudence. 

Blackstone's Commentaries. 

Kent's Commentaries. 

Federalist. 

Debates in the New-York Convention. 

Diplomacy of the United States. 

Millar's View of the English Government, 

Everett's Europe. 

Everett's America. 

Ferguson's Civil Society. 

Junius, (Woodfall's.) 

Malthus on Population, 

Malthus on Political Economy. 

Debates in the Massachusetts Convention. 

Debates in the Virginia Convention. 

Montesquieu's Spirit of Laws. 

Aristotle's Ethics and Politics, (Gillies' Translation.) 

PufFendorf's Law of Nature and Nations. 

Ricardo's Political Economy. 

Say's Political Economy. 

Velhake's Political Economy. 

Wayland's Political Economy. 

McVickar's Political Economy. 



68 

Valtcrs Law of Nations. 

(uolius. 

Wiishinglon's Letters. 

\,ovd Hroiij;ham's Sjuvrhos. 

Adam Smiili's VNcmIiH o( Nations, (McCul loch's Edition.) 

Honlliaiii on MoraKs ami liOgislation. 

Constitutions ol tlio Stales. 

Miss Maitincau's lllnslralious of Political Economy. 

The IMailison l*apors. 

Do 'rocquovillc. 

rERlODICAL AND COLLECTIVE WOKXS. 

Silliman's Journal. 
Enoyt'IojHX'dia .Vnicrioana. 
Nicholson's .l'^ncvi'lop(X\iia. 
TroasuvY ol" Knowlodiio. 
Annals o( Iviucation. 
Thr Cultivator, 

Harper's Classical Series, consisting of 
Xono}ihon. 

licland's Doiuosthenes. 
Hose's Sallust. 
Ciosar's Connuontarios. 
Cicero. 
Virgil. 
A'/Sohylus. 
Sophocles. 
Euripides. 

Horace and rii;vdrus. 
Ovid. 

Thuovdidcs. 
Lny; 
Herodotus. 
Houier. 

Harpkk's Famu.y liiuRARY, cousistiug oi 
Mihuan's History of the Jews. 
Lockharl's Napoleon. 
Southey's Life of Nelson. 
Williaius' Lite oi' Alexander the Great. 
Natural History o( Insects. 
Call's Life of "Lord Hyron. 
Bush's Life of Mahommed. 
Scott on Denionology. 
Gleig's Bible Historv. 
The Volar Seas. 
Croly's Life of (uvnge IV. 
Discoverv and Adveiuure in Africa. 



69 

Cunningham's Life of Painters and Sculptors. 

Cliivalry and the Crusades. 

Bell's Life of Mary, Queen of Scots. 

Russell's Ancient and Modern Egypt. 

History of Poland. 

Smith's Festivals, Games and Amusements. 

Life of Sir Isaac Newton. 

Russell's Palestine. 

Memoirs of Josephine. 

The Court and Camp of Bonaparte. 

Lives of Early Navigators. 

Description of Pitcairn's Island. 

Turner's Sacred History. 

Memoirs of Celebrated Female Sovereigns. 

Lander's Africa. 

Abercrombie's Intellectual Powers. 

Celebrated Travellers. 

Life of Frederick II. 

Venetian History. 

Thatcher's Indian Biography. 

History of India. 

Brewster on Natural Magic. 

History of Ireland. 

Discoveries on the Northwest Coast of America. 

Humboldt's Travels. 

Euler's Natural Philosophy. 

Mudie's Guide to the observation of Nature. 

Abercrombie on the Moral Feelings. 

Dick on Society. 

James' Life of Charlemagne. 

Nubia and Abyssinia. 

Life of Cromwell. 

Montgomery's Lectures. 

Peter the Great. 

Eminent Painters. 

History of Arabia. 

History of Persia. 

Combe's Physiology. 

History of the Barbary States. 

Paulding's Life of Washington. 

The Philosophy of Living. 

Higgins on the Earth. 

History of Italy. 

The Chinese. 

Circumnavigation of the Globe. 

Celestial Scenery. 

So much of Harper's Common School Library as is not included in 
the Family Library. 



70 



byS. 
" S. 
"S. 



Lardnkr's Cabinet Cyclopedia, consisting of 
History. 

England, 

Ireland, 

Scotland, 

United States of America. 

France, 

Netherlands, 

Switzerland. 

Denmark, Sweden and Norway, 

Poland, 

Germanic Empire, 

Russia, 

Spain and Portugal, 

Europe during the Middle Ages, 

Italian Republics, 

Fall of the Roman Empire, 

Rome. 

Greece, 
Grecian and Roman Antiquities. 

The Church, 

Reformation, 

Maritime Discovery, 

Outlines of History, 

Chronology of History, 
Biography, 

British Lawyers, 

British Military Commanders, 

Bitish Naval Commanders, 

British Statesmen, 

Foreign Statesmen, 



by Sir James Mackintosh, &c. 

" T. Moore. 

"Sir Walter Scott. 

" Fergus. 
by E. E. Crowe. 

" T. C. Grattan. 



A. Dunham. 

A. Dunham. 

A. Dunham. 
" Robert Bell. 
" S. A. Dunham. 
" S. A. Dunham. 
" De Sismondi. 
" De Sismondi. 

by Rev. C. Thirlwall. 

by Rev. H. Stebbing. 
" Rev. H. Stebbing. 
" W. D. Cooley. 
" T. Keightley. 
" Sir H. Nicholas. 

by H. Roscoe. 
" Rev. G. R. Gleig. 
" R. Southey. 
" Mackintosh, &c. 
" G. P. R. James, &c. 



Literary and Scientific Men of Great Britain. 

" " of France, by Mrs. Shelley and others. 

" " of Italy, Spain, &c. " J. Montgomery and othei's 

Natural Philosophy, <^c. 
Preliminary Discourse, 
History of Natural Philosophy, 
Treatise on Arithmetic, 



Astronomy, 
" " Mechanics, 

" Optics, 
" Heat, 
" " Chemistry, 

" " Hydrostatics and 

Pneumatics 
Essay on Probabilities, 

Arts and Manufactures. 
Brewing, Baking, &c. 
Silk Manufacture. 



by Sir J. Herschel. 
" Professor Powell. 
" Dr. Lardner. 
" Sir J. Herschel. 
" Capt. Kater & Dr. Lardner. 
" Sir D. Brewster. 
" Dr. Lardner. 
" Professor Donovan. 

, " Dr. Lardner. 

. " Professor De Morgan. 

by Professor Donovan. 
" G. R. Porter. 



71 

Manufactures in Metal. by Mr. Holland. 

Porcelain and Glass. "" G. R. Porter. 
Natural History. 

Preliminary Discourse, by W. Swainson. 

Geology, " Professor Phillips. 

-Botany, " Rev. J. S. Henslow. 
Geography and Classification of 

Animals, " W, Swainson. 

Quadrupeds, " W. Swainson. 

Birds, " W. Swainson. 

Fishes, " W. Swainson, 

Library of Entertaining Knowledge, consisting of 
Class 1. — Natural History. 

Menageries. 

Birds. 

Insects. 

Vegetable substances. 
Class 2. — History and Biography. 

Paris and its Historical Scenes. 

Pursuit of Knowledge under Difficulties. 

Criminal Trials. 

Historical Parallels. 

Secret Societies. 

Distinguished Men of Modern Times. 

Class 3. — Arts and Antiquities. 
Pompeii. 

British Museum — Egyptian Antiquities. 
Elgm Marbles. 
Townley Marbles. 
" " Bronzes and Vases. 

History of British Costume. 

Class 4. — Descriptive Geography. 

New Zealanders. 

The Hindoos. 

Backwoods of Canada. _ 

The Modern Egyptians. 

The Chinese. 

The Penny Cyclopaedia. 

The Penny Magazine. 

The Library of Useful Knowledge, now publishmg m numbers. 

ARTS AND SCIENCES, 

Including Natural Philosophy, Natural History, &c. 
Brande's Dissertation on Chemical Philosophy. 
Emerson's Mechanics. 
Ferguson's Astronomy. 
Good's Book of Nature. 



73 

Haines on ihe New- York Canals. 

Keith on the Globes. 

Nicholson's Natural Philosophy. 

Playfair's History of Natural Philosophy. 

Rumlbrd's Essays. 

Ciiemistry applied to Agriculture. 

BakcweH's introduction to Geology. 

How to observe — Geology. 

De la Beche's Geological Manual. 

Cuvier's Animal Kingdom. 

Arnott's Physics. 

Bridgewater Treatises. 

Cleveland's Mineralogy. 

Bigelovv's Technology. 

Lyoll's Geology. 

Pliilhps' Guide to Geology. 

Peale s Graphics. 

Yale College Mathematics. 

Cambridge Mathematics. 

Huiton's Mathematics. 

Bourdon's Algebra, by Davies. 

Davies' Mathematical Works. 

Gibson's surveying. 

Gummcre's Surveying. 

Olmsted's Philosophy. 

Cambridge Course of Philosophy. 

Webster's Manual of Chemistry. 

Parkes' Chemical Catechism. 

Beck's Chemistry. 

Burritt's Geography of the Heavens. 

Wallace on the Globes. 

AVayland's Moral Philosophy. 

Parkhurst's Moral Philosophy. 

llpham's Intellectual Philosophy. 

Scientific Class Book. 

Enfiekfs Philosophy. 

Comstock's ftlinoralogy. 

" Botany. 

'* Chemistry. 

" Natural Philosophy. 

Smcllie's Philosophy of Natural History. 
Cuvier's Revolutions of the Globe. 

" Theory of the Earth. 

Shepard's IMineralogy. 
Cousin's History of "Philosophy. 

Laplace's Mechanique Celeste, (Translated by Bowditch.) 
Newton's Principia. 
Nuttal's Ornithology. 
Wilson's Ornithology. 
Bowditch's Navigation. 



73 

Whateley's Logic and Rhetoric. 

Ure's Chemical and Mineralogical Dictionary. 

Sir Humphry Davy's Elements of the Philosophy of Chemistry. 

Rush on the Human Voice. 

Beck's Botany. 

Dana's Mineralogy. 

Sganzin's Civil Engineering. 

Hassler's Mathematical Tables. 

FaiTar's Electricity and Magnetism. 

Godman's Natural Histor3\ 

VOYAGES AND TRAVELS, GEOGRAPHICAL AND STA- 
TISTICAL WORKS. 

Bruce's Travels in Abyssinia. 

Park's Travels in Africa. 

Lewis and Clarke's Travels to the Pacific Ocean. 

Pitkin's Stalistical View of the United States. 

Long's Expedition to the Rocky Mountains. 

Parry's First, Second and 'I'hird Voyages. 

Shaler's Sketch of Algiers. 

Anson's Voyage round the World. 

Bosweli's Tour to tiie Hebrides. 

Chateaubriand's Travels in Greece and Egypt. 

Clarke's Travels in Russia. 

" Travels in Greece, Egypt and Holy Land. 
Cook's Voyages. 
Belzoni's Travels in Egypt. 
Eustace's Classical Tour through Italy. 
Forsyth's Italy. 
John Bell's Italy. 

Franklin's Journey to the Polar Sea. 
Russell's Tour in Germany. 
Heber's Travels in India. 

Humboldt's Personal Narrative of his Travels in South America. 
Lady Morgan's Italy. 
Jefferson's Notes on Virginia. 
Johnson's Journey to the Hebrides. 
Malcolm's Sketches of Persia. 
Mavor's Collection of Voyages and Travels. 
Poinsett's Notes on Mexico. 
Lempriere's Tour in Morocco. 
Porter's Travels in Russia and Sweden. 
Schoolcraft's Travels to th.i Northwest Regions of the U. States. 

" Travels in tha Valley of the Mississippi. 

Silliman's Travels in England, Scotland and Holland. 
Carter's Letters from Europe. 
Hobhouse's Albania. 
La Martine's Pilgrimage. 
Laborde's Petroea. 

10 



74 

Incidents of Travel in Egypt, &c. 

Capt. Back's Expedition. 

Amherst's Embassy to China. 

A Year in Spain. 

Barrow's Visit to Iceland. 

Dwight's Travels in Germany. 

Woodbridge and Willard's Ancient and Modern Geography. 

Malte-Brun's Geography. 

Balbi's Geography, 

Brooks and Marshall's Universal Gazetteer. 

Simond's Switzerland, 

Gordon's Gazetteer of New- York. 

Henderson's Residence in Iceland. 

Ellis's Polynesian Researches. 

Laing's Voyage to Norway. 

POETRY. 

Shakspeare. 

Milton's Poetical Works. 
Pope's Homer. 
Dryden's Virgil. 
Thompson's Seasons. 
Beattie's Minstrel. 
Cowper's Poetical Works. 
Falconer's Poems. 
Young's Poems. 
Pope's Works. 

MISCELLANEOUS. 

Alison on Taste. 

Anatomy of Melancholy. 

Addison's Works. 

Campbell's Philosophy of Rhetoric. 

British Prose Writers. 

Bacon's Essays. 

Beattie's Elements of Moral Science. 

Blair's Lectures. 

Burke on the Sublime and Beautiful. 

Paley's Moral and Political Philosophy. 

Burgh's Dignity of Human Nature. 

Washington Irving's Works. 

D'Israeli's Curiosities of Literature. 

Diversions of Purley. 

Kames' Elements of Criticism. 

Williston's Eloquence of the United States. 

Guardian. 

Germany, by Madame De Stael. 

Harris' Hermes. 

Hazlitt's Eloquence of the British Senate. 



75 

Locke's Works. 

Lacon. 

Melmoth's Pliny. 

Spectator, 

Sismondi's Literature of the South of Europe. 

Stewart's Philosophy. 

Reid's Philosophy. 

Brown's Philosophy. 

Dunlop's History of Roman Literature. 

Snfiith's Moral Sentiments. 

Telemachus. 

Johnson's Works. 

Goldsmith's Works. 

Phillips, Curran and Grattan. 

Chatham, Burke and Erskine. 

Public instruction in Prussia. 

Rush on the Mind. 

Seneca's Morals. 

Crabbe's Synonymes. 

Webster's Philosophical Grammar. 

Newman's Rhetoric. 

Johnson's Dictionary. 

Abbott's Teacher. 

Letters to a Student in the First Stages of Education. 

Spurzheim's Elementary Principles of Education. 

Edgeworth on Practical Education. 

Lectures on School-keeping, by Emerson Davis. 

Hall's Lectures on School-keeping. 

Student's Manual. 

Lectures before the American Listitute. 

Historical Description of the First Public School in Hartford. 

Babington on Education. 

Education of Children, by John Hall. 

Grimke's Reflections on the Objects of Science. 

Young Man's Guide. 

Wood's Account of Edinburgh Sessional School. 

Taylor's District School. 

Schoolmaster's Friend and Committee-man's Guide. 

Teacher's Guide. 

Library of Education. 

Manual of Classical Literature. 

Combe on Health and Education, 

Young Citizen's Manual, 

Wayland's Human Responsibility. 

St, Pierre's Studies of Nature. 

Anacharsis' Travels, 

Drake's Essays on the Spectator, &c. 

Hints on Education, by Wines. 

Cousin's State of Education in Holland, 

Simpson on Popular Education. 



76 

Crombie's Etymology and Syntax of the English Language. 
Means and Ends, or Self-training, by Miss Sedgwick. 
Guizot's History of Civilization ia Europe. 
Cousin's History of Philosophy. 

Apparatus. 

The following articles of philosophical, chemical, and mechanical ap- 
paratus, &c. are recommended for the use of academies, in the order in 
which they are enumerated, that is, iheir relative values, as estimated 
by the committee, are indicated by the numbers prefixed to them in the 
list ; so that where the funds of an academy will only admit of the pur- 
chase of a part of the articles enumerated, those first named may be 
first purchased. 

1. Globes, terrestrial and celestial, Maps, &c. 

2. Instruments for Surveying. 

3. Air Pump. 

4. Chemical apparatus. 

5. A suite of Mineralogical and Geological specimens. 

6. The Mechanical powers and Hydrostatical apparatus. 

7. A Telescope and Quadrant. 

8. Electrical apparatus, 

9. Orrery and Moveable Planisphere. 

10. Numeral frame and Geometrical solids. 
U. Tide dial, &c. 



77 



VII. Delegation of the powers of Trustees of 
Academies. 

At a meeting of the Regents of the University, held March 31, 1840, 
Mr. Dix, from the committee to whom it was referred to prepare and 
submit to the board, the draft of an ordinance defining the conditions 
on which Academies are to receive future shares in the distribution of 
the income of the literature fund, submitted the following report, which 
the committee deemed proper to accompany the draft of the ordi- 
nance prepared by them in obedience to the said reference. 

REPORT : 

By the annual reports of the academies, on which the last distribu- 
tion of the income of the literature fund was founded, it appears that 
the trustees of several institutions have rented the buildings erected for 
their use to particular individuals, for stated periods, and have surren- 
dered into tiie hands of such individuals, to a greater or less extent, the 
management of the affairs of those institutions, in respect to the em- 
ployment and compensation of teachers and the course of education 
therein. In most of the cases, in which such contracts have been made, 
the persons to whom the academic buildings have been leased, have 
taken charge of them as principals, and have had the general direction 
of the affairs of the institutions, receiving the fees of tuition and the 
sum apportioned to them from the income of the literature fund, agree- 
ing to sustain any loss arising from the inadequacy of the revenue to 
the expenditure, and sometimes paying a stipulated yearly rent to the 
trustees. In some instances, the right of prescribing the course of dis- 
cipline and study has been surrendered to such persons by the trus- 
tees. 

The committee consider this practice directly at variance with the 
design of these institutions, and with the peculiar organization which 
the law has given them. The trustees are intended as a board for the 
regulation of all that concerns their internal arrangement, and for the 
management of their fiscal affairs. Their duties are essentially of 
a public nature ; and it is in view of the public benefits which are ex- 
pected to flow from the judicious management of these institutions, 
that they are allowed to participate in the distribution of the public mo- 
neys. If they are mismanaged, the trustees should be responsible. 
Yet, if the academic buildings are leased, and the lessee authorized to 



78 

employ and regulate the compensation of teachers, and prescribe the 
course of study, it is manifest that the responsibility of any failure on 
the part of the institutions to accomplish the objects for which they 
were created, is virtually transferred from the trustees, their legal ma- 
nagers and guardians, to the lessee, whose private interests may not 
always correspond with those of the public. 

By the Revised Statutes, vol. 1, page 462, sec. 42, (ed. of 1829,) 
the trustees of the academies are authorized '* to direct and prescribe 
the course of discipline and study in the academy ;" " to appoint a 
treasurer, clerk, principal, masters, tutors, and other necessary offi- 
cers of the academy ; who, unless employed under a special contract, 
shall hold their offices during the pleasure of the trustees ;" " to ascer- 
tain and fix the salaries of all the officers of the academy," &c. 

It appears to the committee that these are trusts which cannot be di- 
vested or delegated by those to whom the law has confided them. This 
principle seems to have been settled by the court of chancery in the 
case of the Auburn Academy, reported in 1 Hopkins, 276. In accor- 
dance with this construction of the law, the committee regard all con- 
tracts between the trustees of an academy and individuals, by which 
the power of appointing teachers and fixing their compensation, and of 
regulating the course of discipline and study in the academy is surren- 
dered, as a violation of their trust, which ought to exclude every such 
academy from a participation in the annual distribution of the revenue 
of the literature fund. The committee also deem 'it of the utmost im- 
portance that the tuition fees to be paid by students should be fixed by 
the trustees. Although this duty is not expressly enjoined on them by 
statute, it results from the nature of their trust, and it cannot be dele- 
gated to others consistently with the responsibility of managing the pe- 
cuniary concerns of the institution under their charge so as to accom- 
plish the public objects for which it was created. The public moneys 
annually appropriated for the support of the academies, are to be ap- 
plied to the payment of the wages of teachers. The object of such 
application is to reduce the rate of tuition fees, and to bring these in- 
stitutions within the reach of a greater number of persons. This im- 
portant object may be wholly defeated by surrendering to the principals 
the right of regulating the charges for tuition, as their interest is to ob- 
tain the highest possible rates and thus increase their own compensa- 
tion. The same public considerations which render it proper for trus- 
tees of academies to retain in their own hands the right of fixing tui- 



79 

tion fees, also dictate that the entire control of the academic buildings 
should not be surrendered to third persons. 

The committee submit the draft of an ordinance in conformity to 
the foregoing views — (which was duly adopted.) 

An Ordinance concerning the Delegation by Trustees of Academies to 
third persons, of the poioers conferred on said Trustees by law. 

The Regents of the University having ascertained from the reports 
of some of the academies subject to their visitation, that the practice 
has to some extent existed, of renting the academic buildings to third 
persons as principals, and delegating to them the power of employing 
teachers, fixing the compensation of such teachers, regulating the 
charges for tuition, and prescribing the course of study and discipline, 

Do ORDAIN AND DECLARE, 

That all contracts between the trustees of an academy and third per- 
sons, which divest the former of their power of controllings the acade- 
mic building, or by which the right of prescribing the course of disci- 
pline and study, of employing teachers and fixing their compensation, 
or regulating the charges for tuition, is delegated to such third persons, 
are in violation of the trust with which said trustees are invested by 
law ; and that no academy, the trustees of which shall make such a 
contract, shall be allowed, during the continuance of the contract, a 
distributive share of the literature fund. But this ordinance is not in- 
tended to restrain such trustees from leasing buildings belonging to the 
academies under their charge, which have been erected or purchased 
for other purposes than those of study and recitation. 

A true copy. 

GIDEON HAWLEY, 

Secretary of the University. 



VIII. Incorporation of Colleges. 

On the 20th day of May, 1836, the following ordinance, relative to 
the incorporation of colleges was adopted : 

ORDINANCE. 

1. Resolved, That every future application that may be made by a 
citizen or citizens or bodies corporate in this Slate to the Regents of 
the University, for the purpose of founding a college within this State, 
under the sixth section of the act passed 5ih April, 1813, entitled " An 
act relative to the University," shall satisfactorily exhibit to the Re- 
gents, that it is the intention of such founder or founders to provide a 
fund of at least $100,000 to be invested in bonds and mortgages, on 
unincumbered real estate, within the jurisdiction of this Slate, and 
such investment to continue for at least five years from the time of 
such endowment : such real estate to be worth at least, by its estimated 
value, twice the amount of the money so secured thereon ; and also 
to provide for such proposed college a suitable lot or lots, with a build- 
ing or buildings erected or to be erected thereon, which shall have cost 
or will cost such founder or founders at least the sum of ^30,000 ; or 
which shall reasonably be worth that sum ; and that before any ordi- 
nance shall be passed by the Regents for a charter to be granted for 
the incorporation of such college, the Regents shall be satisfied that 
such endowment has been fully made, agreeably to the provisions of 
this ordinance. 

2. That in any case in which it shall otherwise appear to the Re- 
gents of the University, that the stale of literature in any academy is 
so far advanced, thai it might be expedient that a president should be 
appointed for such academy, agreeably to the provisions of the seven- 
teenth section of the act aforesaid ; yet the Regents will not in such 
case deem the funds of such academy sufficient for such purpose, nor 
will they in any such case signify their approbation thereof, under their 
common seal, unless the funds belonging to and held by the trustees 
of such academy for the exclusive use and benefit thereof shall be 
proved satisfactorily to the Regents, to be worth at least $130,000, 
including the fair value of the real estate, the buildings erected there- 
on, and the funds invested, which may yield a revenue to such aca- 
demy. 

A true copy. 

G. HAWLEY, Secretary. 



81 



IX. Incorporation of Select Schools. 
LAWS OF THE STATE. 

(Revised Statutes, Part 1. Chap. 15, Title 1, Art. 6, sections 57, 58, 59, 60, 61.) 

§ 57. The founders and benefactors of any school estabHshed or to 
be established for the instruction of youth, on the system of Lancaster 
or Bell, or any other system of instruction approved by the Board of 
Regents, or as many of such founders as shall have contributed more 
than one-half of the property collected or appropriated for the use of 
such school, may make to the Regents of the University, an applica- 
tion in writing, under their hands, requesting that such school may be 
incorporated, nominating the first trustees, and specifying the name by 
which the corporation is to be called. 

^ 58. In case the Regents shall conceive a compliance with such re- 
quest, will be conducive to the diffusion of useful knowledge, they shall, 
by an instrument under their common seal, declare their approbation 
of the incorporation of the trustees of the school, by the name speci- 
fied in such application. 

§ 59. The request in writing, and instrument of approbation, shall 
be recorded in the office of the clerk of the county in which such school 
shall be established. 

§ 60. Immediately after recording the same, the property and funds 
of such school shall be vested in the trustees so nominated, for the use 
and benefit of the school. 

§ 61. The trustees of such school shall be a corporation by the name 
expressed in the instrument of approbation. 

Ordi7iance of the Regents 7-especting the Incorporation of Select 
Schools, adopted May 4, 1841. 

The founders and benefactors of any select school, desiring to have 
the same incorporated, under the sixth Article of the first Title and fif- 
teenth Chapter of the first Part of the Revised Statutes, are to make 
an application for that purpose, to the Regents of the University, in the 
following manner. 

1 . The application must be in writing and must be subscribed by as 
many of the founders as shall have contributed more than one-half of 
the property collected or appropriated for the use of said school. 

2. It must nominate the first trustees, who ought not to exceed twelve 
in number. 

3. It must specify the name by which the corporation is to be called. 

4. The property collected or appropriated for the use of the school 
must be particularly described, with the estimated value of each item, 
and the property and funds contributed must amount to at least $1000. 



82 

5. The course of studies and the system of instruction, intended to 
be pursued, must be specified. 

6. There must be an affidavit annexed to the application by two or 
more of the applicants, swoin to and subscribed before some officer autho- 
rized to take affidavits, to be read in courts of record of this State, 
stating that the same is made by as many founders of such school as 
have contributed more than one-half of the property collected or appro- 
priated for its use, and that the facts set forth in the application are true. 

7. In case the Regents conceive a compliance with such request will 
be conducive to the diffusion of useful knowledge, they will declare 
their approbation of the incorporation of such school. 



X. Departments in Academies for the education of 
Common School Teachers. 

By an act passed May 2, 1834, the Regents of the University were 
authorized to distribute the excess of the hterature fund, over the sum 
of twelve thousand dollars, to such academies as should cause the 
same to be expended in educating teachers of common schools, in such 
manner and under such regulations as said Regents shall prescribe. 

In conformity with this enactment the Regents proceeded in January 
1835, to organize common school departments in various academies 
throughout the State. Their ordinances and instructions on this sub- 
ject are contained in the last edition of the " instructions," page 63 to 
70. It is not deemed necessary to reprint them, for reasons to be pre- 
sently stated. 

By a subsequent law, and which is still in force, the Regents of the 
Ui\iversity are directed to require of every academy receiving a distri- 
butive share of public money equal to $700 per annum, also to 
establish and maintain a department for the instruction of common 
school teaciiers.* 

* The following received the sum above named in 1841 : 

1st District. 

Grammar School of Columbia College. 

Grammar School of the University of the city of New-Yojk. 

2nd District. 

Amenia Seminary, Dutchess county. 

3rd District. ., . 

Albany Female Academy. 
Troy Female Seminary. 

6th District. 

Genesee Wesleyan Seminary, Livingstor* county. 
Oxford Academy, Chenango county. 



83 

In April 1837, an act was passed requiring all these institutions to 
report to the Superintendent of Common Schools, and he was also au- 
thorized to prescribe rules and regukitions for the same. His instruc- 
tions are therefore by direction of the Regents of the University re- 
printed in this place. 

Office of Superintendent > 
OP Common Schools. > 

Albany, May 18, 1841. 

Instructions to the Institutions i7i which Departments for the in- 
struction of Common School Teachers are or shall he established, 
respecting the organization and management of such Departments, 
and the course of studies therein; together loith the form of the an- 
nual repoi-ts, to be ?nade by such institutions, and the information 
required to be contained therein. 

By the fourth section of " An act concerning common schools," 
passed April 22, ] 837, it is provided that " the institutions in which 
departments for the instruction of common school teachers, are or shall 
be established, shall make to the Superintendent of Common Schools 
an annual report of the condition of those departments, in such form, 
and containing such information as he may from time to time require ; 
and in respect to the organization and management of the departments, 
and the course of studies therein, the said institutions shall be governed 
by such direction as he may prescribe ; and he may direct the said 
forms and directions to be printed by the State Printer." 

Under the authority given by statutes previous to the above, the Re- 
gents of the University had given directions respecting the organization 
and management of these departments, and the course of studies to be 
pursued, which were adopted by the Superintendent in office at the 
time of the passage of the act of 1837. These directions are mingled 
with those relating to the classical departments in academies, whereby 
some confusion is produced, and trustees are sometimes embarrassed. 
It is believed that the subject will be better understood and appreciated 
bj' having the instructions emanate directly from the department which 
has cognizance of the whole matter, and to which the annual returns 
are to be made. Experience has suggested some modifications, which 
it is hoped may render the system more effective and more generally 
useful. The following instructions have accordingly been prepared, 
which will supersede all that have heretofore been issued. It will be 
perceived that they are mainly derived from those heretofore given by 



84 

the Regents, and from the report of their committee in 1835, although 
differently arranged, and containing some new provisions. 

I. Object of the Departments. — This is stated in the several 
laws authorizing their establishment, to be the instruction of teachers of 
common schools, to qualify them to conduct the education of the chil- 
dren of the Republic, in the schools established by law, and in part 
maintained by the public funds. Those trustees of academies who sup- 
pose they discharge their obligations by preparing teachers for board- 
ing schools, or any other select or private schools, entirely misappre- 
hend the intent of the Legislature, and the plain words of the statutes. 
Whenever any reference is made to the pupils in this department they 
ought to be designated as " common school teachers," so that the pur- 
pose of their instruction may be constantly kept in view. 

As they are to be prepared for the business of teaching, it is implied 
that they are already themselves instructed, at least in the elements of 
the branches they propose to teach. Although they should review 
those branches, so as to be familiar with them, yet the acquisition of 
them is not the main purpose of the departments, but incidental. Their 
purpose is to train young persons for a particular profession of such 
public importance as to justify a special endowment for its promotion. 
It is, therefore, a perversion of these departments to devote them to the 
mere purpose of instructing youth in those studies which are usually 
pursued in academies. For the encouragement of such studies, a libe- 
ral endowment is made from another fund. 

These remarks are made with a view of presenting distinctly to the 
trustees of those academies in which these departments are estabhshed, 
the pecuhar nature of the duty they assume. If the circumstances in 
which any of them are placed, are such as to prevent the accomplish- 
ment of the object which they have undertaken, they should frankly 
communicate their inability, that the fund may be applied in some other 
mode to the great public interest of providing for the deficiency of 
teachers of common schools. The experiment of these departments 
has not entirely satisfied the public expectation ; and unless efforts are 
honestly and vigorously made, to give them the greatest efficiency of 
which they are capable, they will be abandoned for some other mode 
of attaining the object. It is therefore hoped that the subject will at- 
tract the special attention of the trustees and principals of those academies 
which are selected, or required by law to maintain these establishments ; 
and that they will devote their personal services to the improvement of 



86 

these nurseries, on which the education of the great body of the vouth 
of the State so much depends. 

II. The Organization of the Department. — This relates to the 
pupils and their teachers. 

1. Having in view the object before stated, it must be deemed a 
violation of the intent of the Legislature, and of the good faith of the 
arrangement, to admit into the department any person who does not 
intend to become a teacher. The evidence of this intention should be 
explicit and satisfactory : and the trustees or principals to whom ap- 
plication for admission into the department may be made, are to require 
a written engagement from each pupil, that he will employ himself in 
teaching in some common school for at least one year after he shall 
leave the department, unless prevented by ill health, or some other un- 
avoidable impediment : and in all cases where it is practicable, this 
engagement should be guaranteed by the father, or some friend of the 
applicant. The number of pupils is much less important than the 
faithful application of the fund to its destined purpose. 

2. No male pupil should be received under eighteen years of age, 
nor any female under sixteen. It is not to be expected that persons 
under those ages will possess sufficient maturity of judgment to im- 
prove the opportunities offered to them ; and they certainly would not 
be able to command that respect which is essential to the proper go- 
vernment of a school. 

3. On their application for admission they should be examined by 
the principal of the institution, to ascertain the extent of education they 
have already received. They are not to be admitted unless they shall 
be found to have attained the degree of proficiency herein indicated in 
the following studies and branches, viz : — 

Reading fluently ; 

Writing a legible hand ; 

In Arithmetic, a practical acquaintance with notation, addition, 
subtraction, multiplication and division, simple and compound, and in 
vulgar and decimal fractions, as well as whole numbers, reduction, 
practice, the single rule of three direct, and simple interest. 

In English Grammar, a familiarity with its rules, and ability to 
parse correctly a common prose sentence. 

In Geography, a knowledge of the contents of some book or treatise 
equal in extent to Willett's or Woodbridge's Geography. 

4. As the time during which it is required by the Regents of the 
University, that a department should be maintained, is now reduced to 



86 

six montlis in each year, between the 15th day of May and the 15th 
day of December, and an allowance of three hundred dollars, for the 
expense, is made, it is presumed that such a provision of fifty dollars 
per month will secure competent services and reUeve the institutions 
from all charges on account of these departments. But where an in- 
stitution has already provided qualified instructors, who will have suf- 
ficient time, consistent with other obligations, to perform the duties 
which have been undertaken in relation to the pupils in this depart- 
ment, it will not be expected that it should engage others for the pur- 
pose. Still this department must not be made subsidiary or incidental 
to the academy, but should be regarded as it really is, a separate, 
principal and important object in itself, and should be provided for ac- 
cordingly. 

III. Management of the Department. — 1. When the pupils are 
pursuing the same studies in which other students of the institution are 
engaged, they can, with advantage, be classed with those students, par- 
take of the same instruction and recite with them. Still it is desirable 
that those in the common school teachers' department should be sepa- 
rately organized, and formed into one or more classes for instruction in 
those subjects which are peculiar to them. 

2. These pupils should be excused from those exercises and atten- 
dances which are not necessary for their improvement in the course 
of studies prescribed for their department. But they should be sub- 
ject to the general rules for the government and discipline of the insti- 
tution. 

3. As often at least, as once in each week, and oftener if practica- 
ble, they should be examined separately from the other students, upon 
their studies, and on these and other proper occasions, the principal or 
other instructor engaged for the purpose, should by familiar lectures, 
explain to them the best manner of teaching the various branches usu- 
ally pursued in common schools, giving practical examples of vicious 
modes, and of that which is correct. For this purpose the instructor 
should make himself familiar with the best systems, particularly that 
of Pestalozzi. 

4. As precept is not only better understood, but better appreciated 
by its practical exhibition, it is very desirable that the pupils should 
have opportunities of applying the lessons they learn, by being put in 
charge of classes in the institution. There are always junior scholars 
pursuing some studies in which the candidates for teachers would be 
quite competent to instruct. By employing them occasionally in such 



87 

services, under the eye of an experienced instructer, they would acquire 
more readily than in any other way, good habits of careful and thorough 
instruction, and the most ready mea*ns of comnnunicating information 
to the young. It is scarcely necessary to dwell on the manifest advan- 
tages, indeed the absolute necessity, of having the pupils practise, un- 
der the direction of their instructors, the art of teaching, for which they 
are preparing themselves, and for which the departments are establish- 
ed. Of course the extent and frequency of these practical lessons will 
depend on the age and qualifications of the pupils ; but it will be ex^- 
pected that each pupil will be exercised in the manner indicated, at 
least one day in every fortnight, and as much oftener as circumstances 
will permit, and a statement of the manner in which this instruction is 
executed will be required in each annual report. 

5. As the term is now reduced to six months in each year, there will 
be no occasion for dividing it ; and it is better on many accounts, that 
the instruction should be continuous, and embrace the whole time 
This will enable the pupils to devote the remaining six months to the 
keeping of schools ; and so far from its being an objection to the admis- 
sion of a pupil that he has been engaged in teaching school, it is a re- 
commendation, as it furnishes proof of his being one of that class for 
whose instruction the departments are established ; and if any are indi- 
gent, or their pecuniary circumstances so contracted that the payment 
of tuition fees would be felt as an additional burden, to the expense of 
board, the trustees ought not to hesitate in admitting such gratuitously. 
The amount which they will receive from the State, will fully compen- 
sate the extra expense they incur ; and they should consider themselves 
the agents of the public in distributing its bounty. They will realize a 
rich and full reward in the improvement of the common schools, and 
in the effect of every such improvement to enlarge the desires of the 
parents respecting the amount of instruction to be given to their children, 
and thus add to the number of those who attend the higher seminaries 
of learning. 

It is recommended to the truste'es of those institutions which are se- 
lected or required by law to maintain these departments, that they 
should promptly give public notice of their readiness to receive pupils, 
and invite applications for their admission. The fact of such provision 
being made for the instruction of common school teachers, is not gene- 
rally known, and those who ought t3 participate in its advantages will 
be most likely to be ignorant of its existence. 



88 

IV". Course op Studies in the Department. — The pupils being 
supposed to be already acquainted with the elementary branches taught 
in comntion schools, the object of the instruction they are -to receive 
should be mainly to improve them in those branches by a thorough re- 
vision and practice, while they are also advanced in the kindred studies 
which will give them more extensive information and greater aptness to 
teach. Bui it should be constantly borne in mind, that they are not re- 
ceived into the departments for the purpose of acquiring an education, 
but for the purpose of being made expert teachers, and that the educa- 
tion they receive is given for the accomplishment of that object. 
The following course of studies is prescribed : 
1st. The English language, embracing the following details : 

1. Orthography: sounds of letters, rules for spelling, daily exer- 

cises in spelling, particularly words of doubtful or various or- 
thography. 

2. Reading : with particular attention to the rules of pronuncia- 

tion and their practice. This also must be a daily exercise 
of each pupil ; and the instructors are urged on no account 
to omit hearing each pupil read at least once in each day, 
and to endeavor to correct false emphasis, slovenly, inanimate 
or monotonous reading, and other vicious habits, which will 
become the seeds of future error in the common schools to 
which these pupils are destined. 

3. Etymology: prefixes, terminations, derivations and definitions : 

synonymes. 

4. Punctuation : abbreviations ; and use of capital letters. 

5. Syntax and Prosody in all its parts. 

6. Composition : an original composition to be required every 

fortnight from each pupil, on topics selected as far as practi- 
cable with reference to the business of teaching ; and the trus- 
tees of every institution in which a department is maintained, 
are hereby required to transmit to the superintendent, with 
their annual report, three of the best original compositions 
prepared by pu])ils in the department during the term, in the 
hand-writing of the respective authors, and signed by them ; 
but no composition to be of greater length than to require 
ten minutes to be read. 

7. Declamation : reciting in the presence of the pupils and of the 

instructor, passages from the best authors ; and extemporane- 
ous speaking, in societies formed for the purpose, upon ques- 



89 

lions suited to the capacity of the pupils. These exercises 
should be freely criticised by the instructor, who should con- 
stantly discourage affected or artificial manner, and endeavor 
to cultivate simplicity. 
8. Rhetoric : at least so much of Blair as treats of languages. 

2d. Penmanship : every pupil should be able to write a free, open 
hand, and should be made to practice the very elements of the course. 
Every one intending to become a teacher will find great advantage in 
being an elegant penman ; but if this can not be attained, he should at 
all events be thoroughly acquainted with the principles and rules of the 
art, so as to instruct others. It is indispensable that he should learn 
the art of making pens, and instructors must insist upon every pupil 
practising until he is expert in the art. At least three times in each 
week, every pupil must be exercised in penmanship. 

3d. Drawing should be taught so far as it may be necessary for the 
purpose of mapping. 

4lh. Arithmetic : every pupil must be required to review this branch 
until he is thoroughly acquainted with all the ground rules and tables, 
and capable of applying them at least to the extent of the exercises in 
Davies' Arithmetic. Perkins' Treatise, on the same subject, may be 
profitably perused. 

No pupil should be permitted to advance a single step beyond what 
he thoroughly understands. It is impossible for him to be a successful 
teacher of arithmetic, unless it be with him an exercise of the reasoning 
faculty, and not, as is too often the case, the mere exertion of memory. 
Mental arithmetic is an admirable exercise for the discipline of the 
mind, giving quickness to thought, and facility in the combination of re- 
sults; and exercises in it should be frequent. Book-keeping should be 
a study, so far as to impart a knowledge of its general principles ; and 
the pupils should be required to keep the different kinds of books in or- 
dinary use, such as a day-book and leger. 

5th. Geography, and the use of maps and globes. All experience 
has shown that physical geography can not be accurately acquired, or 
long retained without the aid of maps. The plan of having a series, 
beginning with one that exhibits only the boundaries of a country, and 
its principal natural objects, such as rivers and mountains, and follow- 
ed by others in which its civil divisions are noted, with the capitals and 
principal places, has been found eminently successful. The pupil 
should be taught to construct them ; and should be required to make 
one or more of every country, on which should be noted all the statisti- 

12 



90 

cal information contained in the treatise he studies. Let the experi- 
ment be once made, and every instructor will be gratified with the re- 
sult. 

The geography of our own country, state, county and town, should 
be more thoroughly studied than any other ; and state and county 
maps should be placed in every institution. 

6th. History : Tyller's Elements of General History, ancient and 
modern, and the History of the United States, by Hale or Bancroft, 
and the Abridgment of Washington's Life, are essential parts of the 
course. 

7th. Geometry, Trigonometry, Mensuration and Surveying. The ge- 
neral principles of these branches should be taught from the best au- 
thors in use, and some exercises should be had in practical surveying. 
Davies' First Lessons in Geometry, and Davies' Surveying, contain all 
the information on these subjects which can be given within the time 
allowed for the course. 

8th. The domestic and mechanic arts, manufactures and agriculture, 
should be the subjects of particular attention. A late treatise, by Pro- 
fessor Potter, on the principles of science, as applied to these subjects, 
should be read by every pupil. 

9th. Mineralogy : so as to become acquainted with the composition 
and distinctive properties of minerals, and to distinguish the different 
specimens. And it is desirable that with this should be connected some 
instruction in Geology and Botany, to serve as a foundation for more 
extensive acquisitions. Comstock's Mineralogy, Mrs. Lincoln's Botany, 
and Lee's Geology, are believed to bo the best books extant adapted 
to the purposes of the departments. 

10th. A. Combe's Physiology is a work that will be found eminently 
useful to those who are to have charge of the health of children, to a 
considerable extent, and who should appreciate their responsibilities in 
that respect. 

lllh. Moral and Intellectual Philosophy. Dr. Abercrombie's Inqui- 
ries concerning the intellectual powers and the invesiigation of truth, 
and Upham's Mental Philosophy, will be sufficient in that study; and 
the first five books of Paley's Principles of Moral and Political Philo- 
sophy, will suffice for that part of the course. 

12th. Political Economy. Soiue elementary work which will give a 
clear idea of the principles and objects of this science should be read. 
A late treatise by Professor Po.ter of Union College, partly original 
and partly selected, contains the most plain, lucid and practical view of 



91 

the elements of this branch of study, now extant. Having been pre- 
pared expressly for the use of students, it is the only one in print adapted 
to the department for common school teachers. 

13th. The political institutions of the country. The Constitution of 
the United States should be studied, and each pupil should be required 
to make a brief analysis of its provisions. The first volume of De 
Tocqueville's Democracy in America should be read by every student, 
as the best means of giving a clear insight into the principles of our go- 
vernments, their respective limitations, and the great features which 
distinguish them from all the other governments of the world. It is so 
well calculated to infuse correct views and feelings in relation to the 
rights and powers of the people, and their capacity for self government, 
that no young man who expects to become a citizen should be ignorant 
of its contents. Time for its perusal may be obtained by making it the 
book for reading lessons, by which an opportunity will be furnished to 
the instructor to comment on the views of the author, and explain what 
may be obscure. The pupils may then, or at a subsequent recitation, 
be examined on the subjects of the previous lessons. 

The Constitution of the State of New- York should also be read and 
analyzed. 

V. Duration and Distribution of the Course of Study. — It is 
not expected that this course should be completed in any one term, but 
it probably may in three. So much depends on the previous acquire- 
ments of the pupils, that a large discretion must necessarily be exer- 
cised by the instructors. The rule should be to supply the deficiencies 
of each student. In those branches with which he is already familiar, 
a general review may be sufficient ; in others a more thorough and 
exact course of instruction should be pursued. But, under all circum- 
stances, every pupil must study the branches indicated as No. 1 to 5 
inclusive, in the " course of studies," until he is familiar with and ca- 
pable of teaching them. Nos. 6, 11, 12 and 13 are deemed next in 
importance. 

The study of the different branches may be arranged with reference 
to the convenience of the instructors, so as to permit the pupils in the 
teacher's departments to recite with the classes composed of the other 
students in the institution. But no such arrangement must be permit- 
ted to interfere with the great and paramount design of the department, 
the training and preparation of teachers for the common schools of the 
State. 



Graduation. — When a pupil has completed the course of instruc- 
tion here inclicutcd, possesses a good moral ciiaracter and is otherwise 
deemed (luaiilied to leac^h a conunon school, the trustees and principal 
of the institution in which he pursued his studies, are authorized to grant 
him a diploma, as evidence of those facts, under the seal of the corpo- 
intioii. Allhonffh this diploma will not dispense with the necessity of 
a license from the town inspectors, it will be a strong recommendation 
to them and to the trustees of school districts. 

All hough the masculine pronoun has been frequently used in these 
instructions, when referring to the pupils in the department, yet they 
are intended, and arc to be deemed equally applicable to females. 

JOHN C. SPENCER, 

Stcp^f of Common Schools. 



Form of AVpor/x 

Required to be made on or before the 15ih day of December, in each 
year, to the Superintemlent of Common Schools, by the trustees and 
prineipals of every institution in whieh departments for the education 
of teachers of conunon schools may be established. 

To the Superintendent of Common Schools of the State of New-York. 

The trustees and principal of the academy (seminary, 

institute, or other name of the institution,) established at in 

the county of submit the following amuial report, re- 

specting the department for the edueation of teachers of common 
schools, cstablislied in their institution. 

[The report will then furnish the information in detail, as herein re- 
quired, under the following heads.] 

1. The instructors employed exclusively on account of the depart- 
ment, if any, with their names and compensation. If none but the 
ordinary principal and tutors have been so employed, then state the 
nature and extent of the services of each in the department. 

2. The expense actually ineurred during the year, on account of, or 
occasioned by the department, over and above what the institution would 
have expended if no department had been established. 

3. The amount received, and that charged for tuition of students be- 
longing to the department : and the ditVerence, if any, between these 
charges, and the tuition fees charged to other students. 

4. A list o( the names of the pupils admitted, with their ages and 
residence, and staling whether the engagement required of them to be- 
come teachers has been exacted, and the name of the person guaran- 
teeing the same : and opposite to the name of each person, a specitica- 
tion of the studies pursued by him during the term, designating such 



98 

studies by the ordinary name or title of the book or treatise studied, the 
time spent in studying the same, and the portion so studied. 

5. The number of days or parts of days each pupil has had charge 
of classes in the institution, specifying the subjects of study pursued by 
such classes ; to be written opposite his name. 

6. A recapitulation of the number and classification of the pupils, 
showing — 

1. The whole number of students who have belonged to the depart- 
ment daring the year, and the number of weeks each pupil lias attended. 

2. The number actually attending at the date of tlie report. 

3. The number of those in the department who have heretofore be- 
longed to it, specifying those wlio have been connected with it one 
year, or two terms — those who have been so connected three terms — 
and those who have been connected four terms. 

7. A statement of the subjects of study pursued, and the text books 
used, exhibiting in one column every subject taught in the department, 
and opposite to it the text or class book used, noting the edition and 
the cost of the work. 

8. A statement of the whole time a department has been maintained 
in the institution, and the number of pupils admitted each year. 

9. A list of those who have at any time been pupils in ihe depart- 
ment, and have been subseqently engaged in the business of teaching 
common schools, stating as near as may be the time each has been so 
engaged. 

10. General observations ; stating the nature and extent of the exa- 
minations of the applicants for admission, the degree of knowledge 
evinced by them, and their deficiencies generally ; whether tiie course 
of study prescribed in the instructions of the Superintendent has been 
pursued, and wherein it has been varied, and what part, if any, has 
been omitted, or not reached, and the cause of such departure : and 
such views as the trustees or principal may wish to present in relation 
to the organization and management of liie department or the course of 
studies, with such remarks and suggestions on the subject of preparing 
teachers for common schools, as they may deem useful. 

The report is to be signed by the president or chairman of the board 
of trustees, and by the principal of the academy ; dated at the time it 
is made, and transmitted by mail, or by some safe private hand, to the 
Superintendent of Common Schools at Albany. 

List of Academies in which Common. School Departments are main- 
tained. 

(This list is exclusive of those academies which receive $700 dol- 
lars and upwards of the literature fund alnu^all3^) 

At a meeting of the Regents of the University, held May 4, 1841, 
the following resolutions were adopted. 

Resolved., That the sum of three hundred dollars be apportioned and 
distributed to each of the following academies, on condition of their 
maintaining therein respectively, for the term of six months, between 



94 

the 15th day of May and the 15th day of December, a department for 
the instruction of teachers of common schools, subject to the direction 
of the Superintendent of Common Schools, so far as their organization, 
management and the course of instruction pursued therein are concern- 
ed, viz : 

2nd District, Montgomery Academy, Orange county. 
3rd " Kinderhook Academy, Columbia county. 
" " Delaware Academy, Delhi, Delaware county. 

4th " Washington Academy, Salem, Washington county. 
" " St. Lawrence Academy, Potsdam, St. Lawrence co. 

" " Fairfield Academy, Herkimer county. 

5th " Hamilton Academy, Hamilton, Madison county. 
" " Hobart Hall Institute, Holland Patent, Oneida county. 

" " Rensselaer Oswego Academy, Mexico, Oswego co. 

6th " Franklin Academy, Prattsburgh, Steuben county. 
" " Ithaca Academy, Ithaca, Tompkins county. 

7th " Canandaigua Academy, Canandaigua, Ontario county 
" " Cortland Academy, Homer, Cortland county. 

8th " Middlebury Academy, Middlebury, Genesee county. 
" " Rochester Collegiate Institute, Rochester. 

" " Fredonia Academy, Chautauque county. And that the 

said academies be required to report to the Superintendent of Common 
schools annually, such information as he may require ; and the said sum 
of $300 to be paid by the Comptroller on a certificate of the Chancellor 
and Secretary of the Regents of the University, in favor of the trus- 
tees of the academy entitled to the same, specifying that they have 
complied in all respects with the ordinances of the Regents and the 
laws, which certificate shall be founded upon an order of this Board, 
made upon the report of the Superintendent. 



APPENDIX. 



The following highly important observations, by Mr. Hawley, late 
Secretary, on certain branches of education in academies, are reprinted 
from the last edition of the " Instructions." 



In the preceding editions of these Instructions, the Secretary of the 
University, availing himself of the opportunities they presented for cul- 
tivating a more intimate relation, and establishing a more enlarged cor- 
respondence with the academies addressed by him, invited the special 
attention of their trustees and teachers to certain suggestions or inqui- 
ries, arranged under the following general heads. 

Extent of Elementary Studies. 
There is reason to believe that in some academies the elementary 
branches of education, such as reading and writing, considered as arts 
to be perfected by practice, and orthography considered as a subject of 
knowledge to be acquired by study, are practically, if not avowedly, 
treated as matters of too humble a rank for academic study ; it being 
understood to be presumed, that such inferior branches of education 
have been sufficiently attended to in common schools, whose peculiar 
province it is to instruct in them. And such a presumption must be ad- 
milted to be reasonable to a certain extent ; as all students who are pur- 
suing subjects of study appropriate for an academy must of necessity 
have passed through the customary course of a common school educa- 
tion, in which reading, writing and spelling must have formed a neces- 
sary part. But it does not therefore follow that these elementary 
branches of education are not to be any longer cultivated in academies ; 
for whatever proficiency in them may have been made by scholars in the 
early stages of their education, if their knowledge of them be not kept 
alive, and matured by repeated exercise, during almost the whole pe- 
riod of their minority, they will probably lose much of the benefit of 
their early acquirements. In this view of the subject, it becomes desi- 
rable that the trustees should state in their report, how far exercises in 
reading, writing and spelling, are required of the higher classes in their 
academy. The information desired of them can readily be obtained 
from their teachers, and it is hoped it will not be withheld, either on ac- 



96 

count of the trouble of procuring it, or any supposed immateriality of it 
when procured.* 

Pronunciation of the English Language. 
The trustees or teachers of academies, are also requested to state in 
their report, under the general head of remarks above referred to, what 
degree of attention is paid in their academy to the correct pronunciation 
of the English language, and what standard of pronunciation is adopt- 
ed by them. If the established rules of pronunciation be taught theo- 
retically, and all errors, in the practical application of them, occurring 
in the ordinary recitations of scholars, and in their daily intercourse 
with their teachers, be promptly and openly corrected as often as they 
occur ; and especially if such a course be pursued, where it is most need- 
ed, in the use of proper names oi persons and pZaces, there is no doubt 
that every scholar of ordinary aptitude for learning, would, in an or- 
dinary course of academic education, acquire a practical knowledge of 
correct pronunciation, which, growing finally into an involuntary habit, 
he would carry with him through life. ISuch an acquisition would cer- 
tainly be of great value, although if gained in the way here suggested, 
it would cost nothing in money, and very little in time ; and scholars 
thus educated would not exhibit (what has sometimes been witnessed 
in others to the great disparagement of their teachers,) the discredita- 
ble contrast of being always able, and sometimes ambitious, to detect 
the slightest shade of error in quantity or accent of Latin and Greek 
words, which they will probably seldom, if ever, have occasion to use 
in after life ; while they are unable to detect in others, and commit daily 
in themselves, the grossest errors in the pronunciation of words in their 
own language of the most daily use. 

Subjects of Study. 
In respect to the subjects of study proper to be taught in academies, 
the Secretary, without pretending to claim any right to speek authori- 
tatively, and certainly without wishing to obtrude his own opinion on 
others, hopes it will not be thought either out of time or place, for him 
to suggest, that as the current of public sentiment has, for many years, 
been setting gradually but irresistibly in favor of a course of education 
more and rnore practical than any before established, it would be desi- 
rable, as it would tend to promote the popular cause of practical edu- 
cation, if the trustees and teachers of academies were to state whether, 
in the course of instruction established by them, (particularly in refe- 
rence to students who are not expected to extend their studies beyond the 
limits of an ordinary academic education,) any, and what, discrimina- 



* In the Albany Academy, exercises in spelling are requiffed as a part of the regular course ot 
study in the lower departments, and as often as at least once a week, in the higher departments. 
Reading and writing are also particularly attended to, especially the latter ; as a good hand-writing, 
whether considered as a polite accomplishment, or a practical art, increases in value as society 
advances in civilization and refinement. Considered as an art, the demand for it in this coun- 
try is already so great, that it will at any time supply to its possessor (in case his other reliances 
fail him) the place of an actual capital yielding a competent and respectable livelihood. The 
saving of time in reading what is well, compared with what is poorly written, is so great, that it 
is considered good economy to pay an extra sum for good writing. 



97 

tion is made by them, in the various subjects of academic study, be- 
tween what is most, and what is least jjraciical* 

* To illustrate what is here meant by practical subjects of study, the following remarks are 
submitted : 

The study of Roman antiquities, including whatever of constitutional law Rome possessed, 
with a minute description of manners, customs, habits, ceremonies, &c. has long been pursued 
in many of our academies and higher seminaries of learning, and the time commonly spent on 
them is greater than would be required to study the great principles of our own constitutional 
law, with selected parts of our civil jurisprudence most applicable to the common concerns of 
life, such as the solemnities required in wills and other instruments, the proceedings necessary 
to charge endorsers of promissory notes, the statute of limitations, the law of inheritance, the 
recording act, the common school and highway acts, the right of suffrage and the principles of 
the election law, with the duties required by law from state, county and town officers, and such 
other matters as are of like applicability to the daily occurrences in common life. A general 
knowledge of these latter subjects of study would certainly reward the student with much great- 
er benefits in after life than any thing to be obtained from the study of Grecian or Roman anti- 
quities. Yet it not unfrequently happens that scholars who spend quarter after quarter in the 
study of such antiquities, and who are familiar with all their minutias, can answer nardly any of 
the most important questions on our own constitutional law and practical civil jurisprudence. 
The antiquated constitutions, laws, manners and customs of Greece and Rome, are made sub- 
jects of regular study, and cultivated with great assiduity, in several of our academies, while the 
study of the living practical sulijects of our own constitutional law, and the every day occurring 
principles of our civil jurisprudence, is not admitted as a part of the academic course. 

I am not to be understood as intending to disparage the study of Grecian or Roman antiqui- 
quities, where the student of them is preparing for a liberal education, or aspires to become a 
man of learning. To such, the study is indispensable ; and to all students of the Latin or Greek 
language, however limited may be their views, the study is proper, as tending to illustrate the 
authors read by them ; and indeed, a general knowledge of the antiquities of Greece and Rome 
would be commendable under any circumstances, as it would greatly facilitate the study of An- 
cient History, and every thing connected with antiquity. But it does appear to me, that the 
study of our own constitutional law and practical civil jurisprudence, ought to precede, or be 
concomitant wiih, that of Grecian and Roman antiquities ; and for the same reason, that the ne- 
cessaries of life are first to be secured before its luxuries are to be sought for ; and if a student 
be so restricted in time, that only one of these subjects of study can be attended to, the foi-mer 
should always be preferred to the latter, instead of the latter being (as is sometimes the case,) 
studied to the exclusion of the former. 

Until recently, we have not had suitable books for the study of the practical subjects above re- 
ferred to ; but a compendious treatise on the outlines of constitutional law, prepared by W. A. 
Duer, LL. D. President of Columbia college, and late a Regent of the University, for the use of 
academies ; and a more recent treatise, under the name of " The Young Citizens' Manual, be- 
ing a digest of the laws of the State of New- York, and of the United States, relating to crimes 
and their punishments, and of such other parts of the laws of the State of New-York relating to 
the ordinary business of social life, as are most necessary to be generally known, with explana- 
natory remarks," prepared by Alfred Conkling, Judge of the district court of the United States 
for the Northern District of New- York, are now before the public, and favorably known as school 
books. A small treatise on the duties of state, county and town officers, prepared and publishea 
at Utica, is also before the public, and with the like favorable reputation. The books aliove re- 
ferred to have all been introduced into the Albany Academy as text or class books, for the study 
of the subjects to which they relate, and which have for some time been considered as integral 
parts of the regular course of study pursued in that institution. 

In almost all the higher branches of education taught in our academies, there are parts imme- 
diately applicable to the practical puiposes of life, while other parts, although not altogether in- 
applicable to those purposes, are of an abstruse or speculative character ; being designed rather 
to gratify a taste of philosophical or abstract inquiiy, than to subserve any very useful or practi- 
cal purpose. They are all proper subjects of study, without much discrimination, where students 
have time enough to attend to them, and have already attended to the more practical parts. But 
students who are restricted in time, as happens probably to a majority in our academies, and 
whose great object is to acquire knowledge which will best subserve their future purposes of life, 
should carefully discriminate, or rather their teachers should discriminate for them, between 
what is practical and what is abstruse or speculative. 

To the objection urged against the study of the abstruse or mere speculative parts of science 
the answer commonly given is, that the object of such study is not so much to acquire useful 
knowledge as to exercise and improve the understanding of the learner. But this answer, al- 
though it meets the objection in part, does not satisfy or remove it, for while the fact of such ex- 
ercise and improvement be not denied, it is equally undeniable that the understanding of a pupil 
may be as much exercised and improved by studying more useful and practical subjects ; and 
the benefits to him will be thereby doubled ; for while he improves his understanding, he stores 
his mind with useful knowledge. 

On most subjects of study, knowledge acquired is as the time bestowed. The same time spent 
in studying the most worthless, would have served to gain the same amount of knowledge of the 
most useful. How wise then to bestow our time on the one ! how unwise to waste it on the 
other ! 

13 



98 

The information received from several academiea in answer to the 
preceding inquiries, as well as iheir own suggestions on the varroos 
subjects proposed for their cc.nsideration, having subserved the very 
useful purpose of communicating from one academy to another 
(through the medium of the published reports of the Regents of the 
University) any peculiar views entertained, or any special improve- 
ments made or suggested by them on the subject of education, it occur- 
red to the Secretary of the University, wliile preparing the last editiori 
of these instructions, that similar inquiries might, with a prospect of si- 
milar success, be extended to various other subject matters not less 
worthy of notice ihan those already enumerated. The limits, however, 
necessarily prescribed to him on that, as on the present occasion, have 
not permitted such inquiries to be extended beyond one or two topics. 

Physical Education. 

Education considered in its most extensive sense, that of being a 
process for improving individuals of the human species, to the full ex- 
tent of their capabilities, includes physical as well as iiiiellecmal or 
moral improvement. According to the best established theories on the 
subject, education is held to be properly divisible, and is now common- 
ly divided into three great departments, distinguished in reference to 
their different subject matters, into physical, moral and intellectual. 
Of these several departments, the intellectual being considered the most 
appropriate, if not the most important, for public instruction, has always 
received, and will doubtless continue to receive in all public institu- 
tions, much the greatest share of public attention. Until recently, in- 
deed, in most of our academies, as well as colleges, intellectual was 
cultivated to the almost total neglert of physical, if not of moral edu- 
cation. But since the principles of Physiology, as applied to the hu- 
man system, have been more thoroughly investigated, and their value 
more justly and generally appreciated, physical education, which de- 
pends on the knowledge of such principles, has risen in public estima- 
tion to a much higher rank than it ormerly held. A knowledge of the 
laws of health or of the means of preserving it, which was once chiefly 
confined and thought properly to belong to physicians only, has finally 
found its way into many of our public schools, where it is now culti- 
vated as a regular branch of public instruction. 

To cure disease is admitted to be the peculiar office of a physician ; 
and no encroachment on his professional province in that respect is in- 
tended or ought to be allowed ; but to prevent disease, which ordina- 
rily consists only in knowing and obeying the laws of health, or in ful- 
filling the conditions prescribed for ts enjoyment, is not a matter of like 
professional or exclusive monopoly. Nor is it so considered by physi- 
cians, many of whom are among tlie most streuous advocates for mak- 
ing Physiology, and particularly that part of it which relates to the laws 
of health, or the means of securin, | and preserving the human system 
in its best possible condition, a subject of regular study in all our insti- 
tutions for public instruction. And so general has public sentiment 
now become in favor of such a study, that nothing but a want of suita- 



99 

ble text-books has prevented its general introduction into our public 
schools. 

In view of such considerations, it becomes desirable to ascertain 
what degree of attention is paid in any of our academies to physical 
education, considered with special reference to heahh, or to the best 
possible development of the corporeal or animal functions. The trus- 
tees or teachers of academies are therefore requested to communicate 
in their future reports to the Regents, the information desired on the 
subject above proposed, particularly in as far as it relates to ventilation 
of school rooms ; corporeal position of scholars in school, and gym- 
nastic or other exercise out of school, &c. 

'I'he teachers of some academies, while professing to furnish the in- 
formation as above requested, have described the peculiar advantages, 
or facilities, for ventilalion which their school rooms possessed, with- 
out stating the important fact, whether and how they practically avail 
themselves of such advantages or facilities. That it may be seen what 
importance is attached to such matters elsewhere, the following extract 
from the regulations or instructions established for the government of a 
normal school of distinguished celebrity at Edingburgh, is subjoined. 

" Great attention should be given to the ventilation of school rooms, 
so that on no account, even for a few minutes, their inmaies shall 
breathe bad air. The privileges and advantages of ventilation must be 
dwelt on ; the temperature of school rooms must be attended to ; there 
must be no constrained posture either in standing or sitting; no injury 
to the spine by want of back support in silting; and no confinement 
for more than an hour at a time without exercise in open air, with the 
benefit of rotary swings and other safe gymnastics ; rooms when empty, 
to be well aired by cross windows ; and such airing to be repeated 
hourly when practicable."* 

These regulations are minute, and may at first view appear unim- 
portant ; but not so, it is believed, after further reflection. The im- 
portance of ventilalion, especially, cannot well be overrated. It is a 

* In the Albany Female Academy the trustees, some years since, established the following 
regulations on the subject of ventilating their school rooms, which have ever since been strict- 
ly enforced, and with the most beneficial results : — " It shall be the duty of the steward to see 
that the whole academy edifice be kept at all times ventilated in the best practicable manner 
and to secure such ventilation, which the trustees consider of the very first importance it is 
hereby made the special duty of the steward (until a suitable ventilator through the ceiling 
and roof, above the upper hall, shall be constructed) to lower or cause to be lowered, after the 
exercises of each day shall be closed, as well in the winter as in the summer season, an upper 
sash of one or more of the windows in each of the rooms in the academy which shall nave 
been occupied during the day, and to cause the same to be kept so lowered during the summer 
season for the whole night, except in rainy, or other unsuitable weather, and in other season* 
of the year to cause the same to be kept so lowered for at least an hour each day, and at all 
times, when the weather will permit, to keep the upper sash of one or more of the windows 
in the chapel (being an upper room) down both night and day, and also to keep, during the 
day time in the summer season, and whenever the weather will permit in other seasons of tlie 
year, the front or outward door, opening into the lower hall, open, by fastening the same back 
and also to keep one of the sashes in the windows of^ the halls above, either up or down so as 
to admit of the constant entrance of fresh air." 

It is proper to state in connection with the subject of the above note, that the trustees of the 
same academy have established a regulation on another subject which they consider of equal 
importance — that of providing seats with backs, so that no pupils m their academy sljall be 
permitted to sit without suitable back supports. The object of such a regulation is too obvious 
to require explanation, and it is hoped that it only requires to be presented to the notice of trus- 
tees and teacliers to secure its adoption in all our academies. G. H, 



100 

subject which has recently atti-acted much public attention, both in this 

and in oilier couiUrics, and it is now undergoing a course of investiga- 
tion and discussion, \Yluch is expected to lead to the most beneticial re- 
sults. 

Extent of Study Memoriter, or bt/ Rote. 

To sufler a pupil to learn the demonstration of a mathematical the- 
oren) bv rott\ which is a mere ariiticial drill on the memory, without 
tlie exercise of the understanding, would be condemned as absurd. 
On the other hand, to require a pupil, in adding or UHilliplying num- 
ber in arithmetical operations, to rely on his understanding solely, 
■without an aid from artificial memory, in the use of addition or multiph- 
cation tables, would be equally absurd. Hence it is plain that some 
subjects of study must be addressed chiefly to the understanding, while 
others require only the aid of memory. To the former class, belong 
all conclusions drawn by reasoning from pre-established premises, 
>yhcther on moral, mathematical, or physical subjects. And ot a kin- 
dred, although not of the same character, are all such matters as, be- 
ing connected by certain affinities, may, when once learned in that con- 
nection, be recalled to mind by a ptinciple of association, winch in 
such cases supplies the place of artiticial memory. To the oilier class, 
that of things requiring to be learned by rote, belong all isolated facts 
as well as viltimate principles. And if, for the purpose of securing a 
more ready command over them, we treat as belonging to the same 
class, n)any facts not wholly isolated, as well as many principles not 
strictly ultimate, we shall probably lind it tend much more to effect our 
object, than to depend for their remembrance in time of need, on the 
uncertain power o( recollecting them from their lelations to other things; 
for it \vill oe found that in proportion as such tacts and principles have 
been learned by rote in early life ; so will commonly be their subser- 
viency to practical purposes in alter life. Let any one of mature age 
undertake to estimate the value of having a ready command over sucli 
facts and principles, and, unless his early education shall have been 
dit^erent trom the common course, lie will regret that his store of them 
is not more abundant ; and if it were possible for him to recall and re- 
vise what is past, it cannot be doubted, th.it to enlarg-e that store would 
be among the tirst acts of his revision. How many matters once well 
understood in their rationale, but long since forgotten, he would make 
the subjects of study by rote, reiterating their impression on his me- 
mory for the same reason, if not to the same extent, as in early life he 
did the common addition and multiplication tables, or the common rules 
in jjnxmmar and arithmetic. How industrious would he be in trea- 
surmg up for future use, such matters as the specific gravity of bodies 
UieirVonstiiutent parts .and proportions, with oilier like important truths 
in chemistry and physics — the leading dates and events in history, to- 
pographical statistics, with many other matters alike important for fu- 
ture reference. Nor would he. in laying up such a store of knowledge, 
fail to include in it some of the leading principles of science ; such for 
example, as the universal law of gravity — aitractwn directly as quan- 



101 

tity of matter and inversely as the square of distance ; or the law of 

falling bodies — spaces described as the squares of the times; or ilie 
fundamental principle in mechanics — equaiity of products from mov- 
ing power and resisting weight multiplied each into its oivn velo- 
city ; or separately — mojnentum, as quantity of mutter multiplied into 
its velocity; and such also as the important law of fluids — pressure, 
as depth independent of breadth, with resistance to moving bodies as 
the square of their velocities ; or such as the sublime discovery in as- 
tronomy — planets all moving in elliptical orbits, each describing equal 
areas in equal times, with the squares of their periodic times, as the 
cubes of their mean distances from the sun. How greatly to be de- 
sired would be a knowledge of such principles always at command ; 
and yet if we depend for our knowledge of them, on having once de- 
monstrated them, how frail will be the dependence ! how transient the 
knowledge ! While on the other hand, if such knowledge be artifici- 
ally impressed on the memory, like that of other things learned in earl)& 
life by rote, how lasting it becomes ! The demonstration of the prin- 
ciple may long since have been forgotten, but the principle itself will 
remain. • 

From a course of remarks similar to the above, in the last edition of 
these Instructions, it was, as I have been informed, inferred by some 
under whose notice the remarks happened to fall, that the writer of them 
intended to recommend study by rote, in preference to study by de- 
monstration ; thus exalting the faculty of memory to the debasement 
of that of the understanding. And it must be admitted that from cer- 
tain unqualified expressions inadvertently used on that occassion, such 
an inference would seem to be in some measure warranted. But no 
such inference was intended or foreseen. The writer would hope to 
be among the last to disparage intelligent study, or to enlarge the pro- 
vince of memory by encroaching on that of the understanding. The 
only position intended to be taken by him was simply this — that there 
are many principles, which being once learned from demonstration 
ought to be afterwards inculcated by rote, not that they were to be ori- 
ginally learned in that way, but only so inculcated after first being de- 
monstrated in the ordinary way. 

The position thus qualified and explained is still maintained, and 
may, I think, be easily defended. Let us illustrate it by a few prac- 
tical cases. Suppose it be required to compute the superficial areas of 
different figures ; how important to have at command the principles on 
which the computation depends ; such as the area of a parallelogram 
being equal to the product of its base into its altitude — of a triangle to 
one-half such product — of a circle to the product of one-half its radius 
into its circumference, and of a sphere to four times that product. So 
if we wish to compare the areas of different figures, how desirable to 
know that the areas of all similar figures are as the squares of their 
corresponding or homologous sides — or if it be required to compute the 
solid contents of bodies, how convenient to be able to apply at once the 
principles of the computation — such as a cone being one-third of a cy- 
linder of the same base and altitude — a sphere two-thirds of a cylinder 
circumscribed around it and having the same altitude — with innumera- 



102 

ble othci- cases of a similar diaracter. Or if we change the field of 
iliiistralion from geometry to physics, we shall find equally striking in- 
stances of the same general trnth ; such for example as the ease of a 
traveller desirous to measure the depth of a precipice, on the top of 
which he stands. How important, for that purpose, that he should know 
without recourse to books, that if he throw down a stone it will fall 
sixteen leet the fust second, forty-eight the next, and soon — the spaces 
dcscriheil being always as the squares of the times of descent ; so that 
if he have witli him a watch beating seconds, or for want of that, if he 
refer to the beating of his own jmlse, in an ordinary state, he can as- 
certain with sufficient accuracy the depth of the precipice to be mea- 
sured. Again, if we are acquainted with the specific gravities of dif- 
ferent botlies, anti have the knox^'ledge so stored in the memory as to 
be always available, liow convenient it would be for practical applica- 
tion in estimating the weight of stone, iron, &c. Or to be more par- 
ticular, suppose a traveller wishes to ascertain the height of a mountain 
he is about to ascend. K he has the good fortune to learn and retain 
in memory, the specific gravity of mercury and atmospheric air, he 
will, on comparing them, find the former about 12,000 times heavier 
than the latter, from which he will at once infer that one inch of mer- 
cury is equal in weight to 12,000 inches of air — or in other words, that 
a fall of one inch in his barometer indicates an ascent of 12,000 inches, 
or 1,000 U;et, up the mountain. 

To illustrate the value of knowledge at command, 1 will only refer 
to one other case, that of ascertaining heights and distances from the 
sphericity of the earth. Every mile of even surface, such as that of 
water, curvates from a straight line eight inches — two miles, thirty- 
two inches — three miles, seventy-two inches, or six feet; the curvalion 
being always as the square of the distance. Hence if we are ac- 
quainted with the simple principle here stated, we may measure heights 
by distances, and distances by heights, with oidy one of them given or 
ascertained ; ami if our knowledge of the principle be always at com- 
inanil, how convenient it would be for practical use when a ship at sea 
first discovers the top of a mountain, light-house, or other object of 
known elevation ; for by knowing its elevation, its distance may be at 
once ascertained ; so if the distance be known the elevation of the 
mountain may be in the like manner ascertained, 

'I'he principle involved in all ihe cases referred to in the preceding 
remarks, in defence of the position there assumed, ought, I admit, to 
be demonstrated, so tar as it may be ilemonstrable, by every student, 
on his tirst undertaking to learn it; and he should be kept to the de- 
monstration until he fully comprehends it. But after that be done, I 
hold, and have in the preceding remarks endeavored to show, that the 
principle itself without the den^onstration should be inculcated on the 
memory in the same manner as if it were to be learned only by role. 
Demonstrations in their best form are too complex, and in their common 
lorm loo artificial to be long retained in iiiemory ; but principles, ab- 
stracted trom iheir demonstrations, and expressed with suitable concen- 
tration of thought and language, are not more difficult to be learned 
and retained by rote, than most oiiier things which it is common to learn 



103 

and retain in that way. Take for example the principle involved in 
one of the cases above referred to, that of measuring heights and dis- 
tances from ihe sphericity of the earth. The dernonsiralion of the 
principle would occupy considerable time, and require much thought, 
but the principle itself may be concentrated almost to a point, such as — 
the surface of the earth curvates from any given point, according to 
the square of the distance, being for a single mile eight inches. The 
demonstration of such a principle, it would be difficult for most per- 
sons to retain lo?ig in memory, but the principle itself being once learn- 
ed by role, nothing would be easier than to retain it ; it would indeed 
remain of itself, like every thing else which becomes habitual or in- 
voliuitary. 

The chief object of the preceding remarks is to present for the con- 
sideration of academic teachers, what is tliought to be an important 
subject, and to invite them in their future reports, to communicate as 
mere matter of fact, how far the mode of instruction pursued by ihem 
is in accordance with the principles involved in those remarks.* 

* The writer of these iiistniotions intencJerJ at firs*, to present, for the consideration of acade- 
mic teachers, another suhject — that of cr/mposition, considered a-s a scholastic exercise ; but hav- 
ing already reached, if not gone Ijcyond, trie limits prescribed to hirn, he is prevented from exe- 
cuting his first intention. He can not, however, forbear to present, in the most unpretending 
form, that of an appendix note, a few brief suggestions on the subject above referred to. 

Composition is an exercise reijuiring two different operations of the mind — originating or car- 
rying on a train of thought, and expressing it in language. How intimately these operations are 
connected, and how wonderfully they act and react on each other, it is not here proposed to in- 
quire ; all I propose now to do is to oflTer a few renr^arks on composition, considered in reference 
merely to language. 

Language, in whatever point of light it may be considered, resolves itself ultimately into the 
use of outward signs for expressing inward thought or feeling ; words being nothing but signs, 
and their meaning the things signified. In reading printed, or hearing spoken language, which i.s 
more or less the daily occupation of almost every person, we are constantly passing from the sign 
to the thing signified — from words to their meaning and hence we become so familiar with their 
connection in that order where the sign is first pres ;nled, and the mind always passes from that 
to the thing signified — that we are never embarrass* d in the ordinary exercise of reading written, 
or hearing spoken language. A rnan of common education will read a common English book a 
■whole day, without being at a loss for the meaning of a single word in it. The reason undoubted- 
ly is, that during his early education it was his daily practice to learn, and in after life to apply 
words and their meaning in the order in which thi y are always presented in rea/ling. But now 
immea.surably different with the same rnan (suppf iing hirn to be of the ordinary cla-ss,) is the 
same exercise when reversed — that is, when he is equired to pass from the thing signified to the 
sign — from thought to language or expression — whi -h constitutes the whole exercise of composi- 
tion, as we are now considering it. He hesitates— is embarra.ssed — and at a loss every step he 
takes ; not because he is ignorant of the meaning o: words, or of their connection, considered ai* 
signs, with thought, as the thing signified; but be'-ause he is not familiar with that connection 
presented in that order, where tlie idea or thing signified comes first, and the word or sign of it 
last. Only give hirn the sign first, and he passes instantly to the thing signified, because he is 
daily accustomed to such an operation — to seeing words or hearing sounds, and connecting them 
with their appropriate meaning. 

To show how much depends on the order in which we are accustomed to learn things, we have 
only to refer to our knowledge of the common alpliabet, where we shall find every thing depend- 
ing on the order in which its letters have been learned. If we repeat thern in their accustomed 
order we run through them with the greatest ease and rapidity ; but on reversiag that order and 
attempting to repeat the letters backwarfls, we mf:ct with t?ie greatest embarrassment ; and yet 
there is nothing in the nature of the letters rnakinp them easier to learn or repeat in one order 
than in another. Each order is in itself arbitrary — for if we make ourselves as familiar with the 
letters in their reversed as in their direct order, we find it as easy to say them backwards as for- 
wards. And so it is with language, if we can rnak'; ourselves as familiar withi the connection be- 
tween words and ideas, in the reversed as in the drect order, we shall find as little diiSculty in 
passing from one to the other, in one order as anotl tr. 

Since then so much depends on the order in wh ch we are accustomed to consider words and 
ideas, it would seem to be reasonable to conclude hat in proportion as we become familiar with 
that order, as it always occurs in composition, wil be our facility in composing — and that if we 
can become as familiar with the exercise of compos ing for ourselves, as we are with reading what 
is composed by others, we may (having reference r.nly to language) perform one operation as ea- 
sily as the other. Assuming such a conclusion to be well founded, how can we best accomplish 



104 

so desirable an object — that of making ourselves as familiar with composition as with reading? 
Shall we require more frequent exercises in composition, in which the student is always first re- 
quired to find ideas, and then signs or words to express them ? That would tend directly to 
accomplish the ol)ject ; and where there is no want of ideas, and no reluctance to undertake the 
written expression of them, no better means of accomplishment can be used. But are such means 
ordinarily the best that can be applied ? The youthful mind is commonly more reluctant to en- 
gage in exercises of composition, than in any thing else required to be done. And why is it so ? 
They who have no want of ideas, and know how to express them, feel no such reluctance. On 
the contraiy, they are often ambitious to give body and form to their conceptions, either in writ- 
ten or spoken language. The reluctance then must proceed either from paucity of ideas, or ina- 
bility to express them — from want of thought or ignorance of language, or from both causes com- 
bined. The latter is probably the most common source of the reluctance, and we shall accord- 
ingly so consider it. The question then arises, what are the liest means of supplying such de- 
fect or want of thought, and of imparting the requisite knowledge of language ? Without under- 
taking to enumerate all the means that may he used for such a purpose, 1 will only here specify 
two of them — translation from a dead or foreign language into our own — and analysis of English 
text books. These I consider to be the most leading and important means, not only to remove 
the reluctance above noticed, and thereby to gain indirectly the principal end above proposed, but 
also to subserve that end directly. This may, I think, be shown by the following summary views, 
which might be greatly amplified, if time <md space would permit. 

In translating from another into our own language, the first step in the process is to find out 
the thought or idea to l)e translated. When that is done, the next step is, ur at least should be, to 
find English words best fitted, and to collate or arrange them in the order best calculated to ex- 
press the translated idea, according to the true spirit or idiom of the English language. Here 
then we have an operation directly the reverse of that which occurs in reading from our own lan- 
guage. Instead of passii\g from words to ideas, — from the sign to the thing signified, which is all 
that we do in reading, — we do, in the exercise or act of translation, necessarily pass from ideas 
to words, — from the thing signified to the sign, thus becoming as familiar with their connection, 
when viewed in the reversed, as we were before in the direct order. Now such a reversed view is 
what is always required to be taken in every exercise in composition ; and in proportion to our 
familiai-ity with such a view, will Lie our facility in composing. In short, to sum up the whole 
matter in the fewest possible words, translation from one language into another is, in respect to 
its influence on the power of expressing thought in the language to which it is converted, a 
continued process of composition in the latter language. It is not merely equivalent to such 
a process, but is such a process itself. Here then probably lies the chief, or one of the chief 
benefits derivable from the study of the Latin and Greek languages. They furnish the most 
abundant and variegated store of ideas ; and at the same time the collocation of their words is so 
radically ililferent from o\us, that the traiislation of them into our own language serves the pur- 
pose of improvement in English composition, in the same manner and to the same extent, as the 
exercise of clothing or expressing an original idea in its appropriate English language. 

In view of this latter source of benefit from the study of Latin and Greek, what are we to think 
of the practice, tolerated, if not encouraged in some of our academies, of allowing students in 
those languages to consult ad libitum, translations of the books read by them ? What else can we 
think of it, than that it tends to defeat one of the chief and most rational objects that can be pro- 
posed in such a study — that of improving the inventive faculty in the expression of thought? 
How much less irrational is it, than to give to a student a subject for his exercise in composition, 
and then to write it out for hin\ ? What is it, in short, but giving him at once both a sign and the 
thing signified, without requiring or allowing any exercise of his own faculties? But although 
wo might ureatly enlarge on this topic, our limits, both in time and space, forbid its further prose- 
cution^ VV c have only room to add a very few remarks on the exercise of analyzing text books. 

The analysis of English text books may be so conducted, as to subserve the purposes of im- 
provement in English composition, in much the same manner, and for the same reasons, as trans- 
lation from a foreign language into our own. The text book furnishes a train of thought, express- 
ed in laiiguage more or less peculiar to each author, and if the student be required to express the 
same thought in his own language, to borrow only the author's ideas, but not his words, he will 
necessarily exercise his mind in finding signs or words for ideas, — that is, in passing from the 
thing signified to the sign, in much the same manner as if he were translating a foreign into his 
native language, or clothing an original idea in its appropriate words. If such be a correct view 
of the case, how much to be condemned must that practice or mode of instruction be, which al- 
lows a student, in analyzing a text book, to use in all cases the language of its author, or which 
does not admonish him of his error, when he does so use it. G. H. 



CATALOGUE 

Of the Regents of the University of the State of New-York, from 
the establishment of the University. 

Date of election 

or appointment. NAMES. Exitus. 

1787 George Clinton, Governor, ex officio, 1795 

1795 John Jay, Governor, ea? q^cto, 1801 

1801 George Clinton, Governor, ex officio, 1804 

1 804 Morgan Lewis, Governor, ex officio, 1 807 

1807 Daniel D. Tonnpkins, Governor, ea? q^cz'o, 1817 

1817 De Witt Clinton, Governor, ex officio, 1 822 

1822 Joseph C. Yates, Governor, ex officio, 1824 

1824 De Witt Clinton, Governor, ex officio, , 1828 

1828 Martin Van Buren, Governor, ex officio, 1829 

1830 Enos T. Throop, Governor, ex officio, 1831 

1832 William L. Marcy, Governor, ex officio, 1838 

1839 William H. Seward, Governor, ex officio. 

1787 Pierre Van Cortlandt, Lieut. Governor, ex officio, 1795 

1795 Stephen Van Rensselaer, Lieut. Governor, ex officio,. 1801 

1801 Jeremiah Van Rensselaer, Lieut. Governor, ex officio, 1804 

1804 John Broome, Lieut. Governor, ea? q^czo, . 1812 

1812 De Witt Clinton, Lieut. Governor, ex officio, 1814 

1814 John Tayler, Lieut. Governor, ex officio, 1822 

1822 Erastus Root, Lieut. Governor, ex officio, 1824 

1824 James Tallmadge, Lieut. Governor, ex officio, 1826 

1826 Nathaniel Pitcher, Lieut. Governor, ex officio, 1828 

1828 Enos T. Throop, Lieut. Governor, ex officio, ... 1830 

1830 Edward P. Livingston, Lieut. Governor, ex officio,.. 1832 

1 832 John Tracy, Lieut. Governor, ex officio, 1838 

1839 Luther Bradish, Lieut. Governor, ex officio, 

1787, Apr. 13. John Rogers, D. D died 1811 

do Egbert Benson, LL. D resigned 1802 

do Philip Schuyler, died 1804 

do Ezra L'Hommedieu, died 1811? 

do Nathan Kerr, died 1804? 

do Peter Sylvester, died 1808? 

do John Jay, LL. D resigned 1790 

14 



106 

Date of election 

or appointment. NAMES. Exitus. 

1787, Apr. 13. Dirck Romeyn, D. D resigned 1796 

do James Livingston, , resigned 1797 

do Ebenezer Russell, resigned 1813 

do Lewis Morris, died 1798? 

do Matthew Clarkson, died 1825 

do Benjamin Moore, D. D resigned 1792 

do Eilardus Westerlo, D. D died 1790 

do Andrew King, died 1815 

do William Linn, D. D died 1808 

do Jonathan G. Tompkins, resigned 1808 

do John McDonald, resigned 1796 

do Frederick Wm. Baron De Steuben, .. died 1794 

1790, Mar. 30. Gulian Verplanck, ..died 1800 

1791, Jan. 15. Zephaniah Plait, died 1807 

1795, Jan. 28. James Watson, died 1806 

1796, Feb. 18. James Cochran, resigned 1819 

1797, Jan. 11. Abraham Van Vechten, LL. D... resigned 1823 

1797, Feb. 28. Thomas Ellison, died 1802 

1798, Mar. 13. Simeon De Witt, died 1834 

1800, Feb. 3. James Kent, LL. D vacated 1816 

1802, Feb. 1. John Tayler, died 1829 

1802, Feb. 15. Henry Rutgers, resigned 1826 

1802, Feb. 18. Charles Selden, vacated 1816 

1805, Jan. 28. Ambrose Spencer, LL. D vacated 1816 

do Lucas Elmendorf, vacated 1 822 

1807, Feb. 11. Elisha Jenkins, 

1808, Feb. 14. De Witt Clinton, LL. D resigned 1825 

do Peter Gansevoort, died 1812 

do Alexander Sheldon, _. vacated 1816 

1809, Jan. 31. Nathan Smith, vacated 1822 

1812, Feb. 28. Joseph C. Yates, vacated 1833 

1812, Feb. 28. Solomon Southwick, resigned 1823 

1813, Mar. 3. Smith Thompson, LL. D resigned 1819 

do John Woodworlh, resigned 1822 

1816, Mar. 4. Martin Van Buien, LL. D resigned 1829 

1817, Jan. 28. John Lansing, Jun. LL. D died 1828 

do John De Witt, D. D resigned 1823 

• do Samuel Young, resigned 1835 

do Nathan Williams, vacated 1 824 

1819, Mar. 16. Stephen Van Rensselaer, LL. D died 1839 

1820, Feb. 1. William A. Duer, LL. D vacated 1824 

1822, Feb. 7. James Thompson, 

do Harmanus Bleecker, resigned 1834 

1823, Feb. 14. Samuel A. Talcott, resigned 1829 

do James King, died 1841 

do Peter Wendell. M. D 

1823, April 9. William L. Marcy, vacated 1829 

1821, Feb. 13. Peter B. Porter, resigned 1830 

do Robert Troup, resigned 1 827 



107 

Date of electipn 

or appointment. NAMES. Eiitus. 

1825, Jan. 12. John Greig, 

1 826, Jan. 26. Jesse Buel, died 1 839 

do Gulian C. Verplanck, LL. D , 

1827, Feb. 20. Edward P. Livingston, resigned 1831 

1829, Feb. 14. Benjamin F. Butler, LL. D resigned 1832 

1829, Mar. 31. Gerrit Y. Lansing, 

do John K. Paige, 

do John Sudam, died 1835 

1830, April 2. John P. Cushman, resigned 1834 

do John Tracy, resigned 1833 

1831, Mar. 23. John A. Uix, 

1832, Feb. 6. John L. Vielie, died 1832 

1833, Feb. 5. William Campbell, 

do Eraslus Corning, 

April 4. Prosper M, Wetmore, 

1834, April 17. James McKown, 

do John Lorimer Graham, 

1835, Jan. 20. Amasa J. Parker, 

April 8. John McLean, 

May 9. Washington Irving, LL. D 

1839, Feb. 18. Joseph Russell, 

1840, Feb. 28. John C. Spencer, LL. D 

Officers of the Board of Regents. 



CHANCELLORS OF THE UNIVERSITY. 

Date of appointments. NAMES. Exitus. 

1787, July 17. George Clinton, 1796 

1706, Jan. 20. John Jay, 1802 

1802, Feb. 15. George Clinton, 1805 

1805, Feb. 4. Morgan Lewis, 1808 

1808, Feb. 8. Daniel D. Tompkins, 1817 

1817, Feb. 3. John Tayler, 1829 

1829, Mar. 24. Simeon De Wilt, 1834 

1835, Jan. 8. Stephen Van Rensselaer, 1839 

1839, Feb. 12. James King, 1841 

VICE-CHANCELLORS. 

1787, July 17. John Jay, 1790 

1790, Mar.31. John Rogers, D. D 1808 

1808, Feb. 8. John Rogers, D. D. (re-appointed,) 1811 

1814, Mar. 14. John Tayler, 1817 

1817, Feb. 3. Simeon De Witt, 1829 

1829, Mar. 24. Elisha Jenkins, 



108 



SECRETARIES. 

Date of appointment. NAMES, Exitus. 

1787, July 17. Richard Harrison, 1790 

1790, April 7. Nathaniel Lawrence, 1794 

1794, Jan. 21. De Witt Clinton, 1797 

1797, Jan. 23. David S. Jones, 1798 

1798,Mar.l9. Francis Bloodgood, 1814 

1814, Mar. 25. Gideon Hawley, 1841 

1841, May 25. T. Romeyn Beck, 



